Go Ahead London swaps wing mirrors for cameras

21st Century Technology has supplied and installed the SmartVision system on over 100 vehicles for Go Ahead London. The fitment includes 62 as part of a continuous innovation programme at Northumberland Park depot as electric vehicles replace diesel. The operator now has over 100 buses fitted with SmartVision across five of its depots.

The SmartVision Camera Monitoring System is designed to improve the driver’s view, using high-definition cameras instead of mirrors to help reduce incidents and accidents, removing blind spots. It should also reduce the collision risk between mirrors, road users, street furniture and trees.

SmartVision provides the driver with enhanced views over standard wing mirrors. Cameras adjust automatically to maintain image quality in all lighting conditions, removing glare from the sun during the day and from headlights at night. Software loaded on to the displays removes distortion from raindrops or dirt on the lens, giving drivers an improved view of their surroundings at all times.

The Go Ahead vehicles have SmartVision cameras mounted externally on the vehicle within low-profile, weatherproof housings. The cameras deliver images to high resolution in-cab mounted monitors, which provide Class II and Class IV wide-angle views via a split screen display.

Richard Harrington, Engineering Director for Go Ahead London, said: “I have been impressed with version 2 of SmartVision, which provides drivers with a digital overlay to give them context as to the position of the bus through the enhanced view in the monitors on both sides. It has been positively received by our drivers and performs well and as such currently remains on my vehicle specification. I look forward to further developments from 21st Century.”

SmartVision was developed in readiness for TfL’s Vision Zero action plan, which aims to remove all deaths and serious injuries from London’s transport network by 2041.