Daimler Trucks North America
Will Your Mirrors Be Replaced By Cameras?
PORTLAND, OR -- The parent company to truck makers Freightliner and Western Star has asked the U.S. federal government for permission to put newer technology in place of required equipment. In its petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) asked the agency to revise federal regulations so it can replace rear view mirrors with camera-monitor systems (CMS). The U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS), number 111, requires rear view mirrors on each side of heavy-duty trucks. The reason, according to petition, "is necessary for manufacturers like DTNA to optimize vehicles for fuel efficiency." "DTNA strongly believes that CMS technology can achieve the same or better level of safety as outside rearview mirrors in providing the driver a view to the rear along both sides of the vehicle, but with enhanced environmental benefits, especially for large trucks," the company said in the petition.
