FMCSA OKs use of Cameras instead of Mirrors

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently approved a company’s request to allow the use of its camera system as an alternative to the two rearview mirrors now required on commercial vehicles.

The agency approved a five-year exemption of its regulation to Stoneridge Inc., the maker of the MirrorEye Camera Monitoring System. In a statement approving the exemption, the FMCSA said the system “would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety provided by the regulation.”

In its approval the FMCSA wrote:

(1) it eliminates the blind spots on both sides of the vehicle created by the required rear-vision mirrors

(2) the multi-camera system expands the field of view compared to the required rear-vision mirrors by an estimated 25 percent

(3) the trailer panning feature automatically tracks the end of the trailer to keep it in view in forward motion

Additionally, the MirrorEye CMS uses high definition cameras and monitors that include features such as color night vision, low light sensitivity, and light and glare reduction that together help provide drivers with improved vision in the field of view when compared to traditional rear-vision mirrors. The MirrorEye CMS includes features such as self-cleaning lenses/cameras to eliminate problems with rain and dirt, a feature that is not required for traditional rear-vision mirrors, and an advanced defrosting system for winter driving.

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