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Electric Mirrorless buses
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cnjb8
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TrentBarton have one. From what I saw it took a lot of time for drivers to train with the new mirrors.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
This strikes me as tech for tech's sake, a bit like automatic tailgates and electronic handbrakes on cars. Wing mirrors are effective and unless you whack something with them cannot go wrong.
eMeS
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Your mean the driver is blindfolded?
delt1c
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Surely a backward move. What happens in the event of electrical failure? Exterior mirrors have been around for years and work perfectly well
If there is an electrical failure, the electric bus won't be going anywhere anyway.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Of the cameras. There's a fleet of bi-mode MUs knocking about at the minute with faulty DOO cameras, but the wheels still turn...
I could see the benefit of adding extra views that mirrors don't do, e.g. at the side and directly behind, but not in replacing the mirrors.
Sometimes when buses pull in at bus stops, the protruding nearside mirror can come close to striking waiting passengers.
OK, but the OP posted:
The 'Electric' cannot refer to a mirrorless, which isn't an object, which is why I read it as an electric bus that was without mirrors.
Given the reliability of video cameras and LCD screens used in vehicles, I doubt that failure would be a regular event. Indeed, there must be plenty of times that a bus should be taken out of service if a conventional mirror was not usable.
Video viewers have been used on viewers for some time, particularly on high rear engined coaches and current video technology will give a far better image, particularly in poor light, so the advantage would be there all the time except for the rare event of a failure. In addition, the video stream can be recorded on the on-board video security system, - a lot more useful than the look-ahead camera as it would show what the driver could see.
Jordan Adam
Established Member
It's interesting to note that many people have been against the camera system until they actually drive a bus with it, then their whole view point changes (excuse the pun). It's not the 90s anymore, cameras and mirrors breaking are fairly rare, especially when compared 'normal' mirrors being whacked off on bus shelters and lampposts, the technology here isn't new and has been used reliably for years - this is just a new way of using it. The major benefit of the cameras is they reduce blind spots and offer a much clearer and better view of the nearside of the vehicle making it far safer, especially when you consider the number of incidents buses have in city centres with people being run over by the rear wheels or hit by the bus at junctions. Also the cameras offer a far clearer view at night and in poor weather, you also don't get any sun glare. Another factor to note is the more aerodynamic shape could lead to fuel savings over time, especially on large fleets of vehicles.
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cnjb8
Established Member
On the point of mirrors being whacked off, BN17 JVC had rabbit wars that with its time with NCT got repeatedly knocked off.
EDIT: Rabbit ears not Rabbit Wars
No, either cameras or mirrors, not both. Otherwise it defeats the point with the driver having too much to scan around to look at.
Indeed, parking cameras for cars have been around for some time now and few would suggest that we remove them from cars. They rarely fail (que someone giving an example) and as far as I can tell give a better view of what's going on that otherwise would be the case.
Goldfish62
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Except when the bus runs someone over because they're in the blindspot or because of poor visibility.
Goldfish62
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Likewise there are no issues in London where cameras are being standardised on. Training doesn't seem to be an issue. As a PSV driver of several decades, having sat in the cab of one I think I would pick it up extremely quickly. In fact I look forward to the time when I can drive one.
You obviously won't get sun glare reflected into the driver's eyes, but it's still perfectly possible for a camera to be 'blinded' by sun glare. They aren't 100% infallible.
But I don't see that as being a show-stopping issue.
(How many years ago was it that Audi had to fit a rear view camera to the Q8 because the the thing was so damn big the mirrors were useless? It's almost a surprise that it's taken so long for buses to catch up.)
christopherrfc
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and also the 10 e400 city for the airport have them
EssexGonzo
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I've driven a car (Audi) with cameras instead of door mirrors. Only for a couple of hours - but I didn't like the set up.
It could have been a case of lack of acclimatisation time - but then I believe that if you have to try to hard to adapt, it's not progress. The rest of the car was Audi's first full EV and required no adaptation whatsoever - a genuine step forward.
With the mirrors, my biggest gripe was that you can't increase the viewing angle by moving your head around. The cameras already have a very wide viewing angle but on a small screen - so everything looked smaller than a normal mirror.
If I were to choose this car (which I won't) I would retain normal mirrors. There's a reason why they're not a widespread option.
It could have been a case of lack of acclimatisation time - but then I believe that if you have to try to hard to adapt, it's not progress. The rest of the car was Audi's first full EV and required no adaptation whatsoever - a genuine step forward.
With the mirrors, my biggest gripe was that you can't increase the viewing angle by moving your head around. The cameras already have a very wide viewing angle but on a small screen - so everything looked smaller than a normal mirror.
If I were to choose this car (which I won't) I would retain normal mirrors. There's a reason why they're not a widespread option.
Jordan Adam
Established Member
Fair review, however i think it's equally fair to say that it's very different on a bus. Primarily because there's more blind spots normally, standard nearside mirror is further away and the screens are much bigger.
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