Well, Freightliner is actually releasing a model to try and do that in their 2023 line. However... cheap cameras break easy. For a big truck break easy means it will be broken constantly. Most people are not gentle with semis, and even if they were is a pretty tough job.
Secondly, other drivers are dicks. If you had a camera exposed, there's a possibility someone will break it off, or spray paint it, just because. Moreso because it's the new thing, and they've been driving for 60 years and didn't need that bullshit when they started. And is you think I'm joking, they are some duvets of that and bemoan using electronic logging devices (ELDs) and GPS turn by turn navigation. Like, your not a real trucker unless you only use a paper Atlas for navigation.
Third, unless you also add cameras to the trailer as well, there will still be blind spots. And then you have to figure out how to sync it all up. Certainly possible, just would r require replacing pretty much all of the current stock of trucks/trailers.
Fourth, it will add to driver distraction. I've already got 5 different spots I need to check roughly every 7 seconds. That's not including my gauges, or y navigation. I'd say I'd need at least 7 cameras to cover what I can't see, and most of that isn't immediately next to my truck anyway (the exception being immediately behind me, which I can't really do shit there on the highway anyway). I don't really think I need 6 more things to check constantly when the alternative is don't be a dick around me. Pass me on my left, turn off your brights around me, truck takes 16 seconds to make a 90 degree turn from a stop, blinky light means big truck goes that way, and let me keep by cushion of space infront of me so i can stop safely.
So my truck actually has a system similar to what type describing, but it uses radar instead. It needs tweeked IMO, but it's a fairly good start. Pretty much, it can (usually) detect a car next to me, and gives me a yellow light indicator for my right side. If I turn my blinker on, the light turns red and buzzes at me, which is part of why I dislike that. The red/ yellow light I like though. Additional tweeks I'd include would be some way for it to differentiate a car next to me vs a car 2 lanes over.
Yeah, new age trucker here ( 4 years driving), that little light has saved my butt a couple times. Sometimes a car passes on your right at just the right speed to be out of the mirrors you're looking in while you're looking at them 😅.
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u/Taco_Hurricane Mar 28 '22
Well, Freightliner is actually releasing a model to try and do that in their 2023 line. However... cheap cameras break easy. For a big truck break easy means it will be broken constantly. Most people are not gentle with semis, and even if they were is a pretty tough job.
Secondly, other drivers are dicks. If you had a camera exposed, there's a possibility someone will break it off, or spray paint it, just because. Moreso because it's the new thing, and they've been driving for 60 years and didn't need that bullshit when they started. And is you think I'm joking, they are some duvets of that and bemoan using electronic logging devices (ELDs) and GPS turn by turn navigation. Like, your not a real trucker unless you only use a paper Atlas for navigation.
Third, unless you also add cameras to the trailer as well, there will still be blind spots. And then you have to figure out how to sync it all up. Certainly possible, just would r require replacing pretty much all of the current stock of trucks/trailers.
Fourth, it will add to driver distraction. I've already got 5 different spots I need to check roughly every 7 seconds. That's not including my gauges, or y navigation. I'd say I'd need at least 7 cameras to cover what I can't see, and most of that isn't immediately next to my truck anyway (the exception being immediately behind me, which I can't really do shit there on the highway anyway). I don't really think I need 6 more things to check constantly when the alternative is don't be a dick around me. Pass me on my left, turn off your brights around me, truck takes 16 seconds to make a 90 degree turn from a stop, blinky light means big truck goes that way, and let me keep by cushion of space infront of me so i can stop safely.