Prevost recently introduced the first electronic side mirror system in the North American motorcoach industry: eMirrors, revolutionizing driver visibility for added confidence and safety. With cameras and screens instead of traditional mirrors, eMirrors offer a significantly larger field of view eliminating side-by-side blind spots – in addition to dramatically improving visibility in nighttime, inclement weather conditions and challenging lighting.
Officially exempt from 49 CFR 393.80(a) [Docket No. FMCSA–2019–0159] by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as of January 15, 2020, Prevost eMirror, powered by Smart-Vision from Vision Systems North America, Inc. will be available on custom orders for early adopters starting mid-2020, with wider availability in 2021.
“eMirrors will revolutionize coach driving. The increased visibility in almost any condition is a major advancement and our testing shows an increase in fuel efficiency caused by aerodynamic improvement.” said François Tremblay, Prevost vice president/general manager. “At Prevost, we focus on innovations that bring long term value and peace of mind for our operators.”
In addition to the driver confidence and safety advantages, there are also strong business benefits for owners and operators by eliminating traditional mirrors. Internal Prevost testing estimates a 3% fuel economy savings through improved aerodynamics. Plus, there’s no worry about costly repair and downtime expenditures caused by damage to the external mirrors in tight situations.
Proven System
Versions of this particular electronic eMirror system have been utilized worldwide since 2017, installed on 1,500+ vehicles and driven more than three million miles so both operators and drivers can be confident in the system.
In addition, Prevost has been developing and testing eMirrors since 2018 over thousands of miles to ensure the system is optimized for Prevost coaches in the North American environment.