On the heels of the announcement that U.S. transportation authorities have given Stoneridge, maker of the MirrorEye™ lateral rear-view mirror camera system, the green light to mass produce their product in the U.S., PIT Group has released the results of its study on the technology’s impact on fuel consumption.
The tests were conducted on the high-speed test track of Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Test Centre, operated by PMG Technologies, in Blainville, Quebec, based on the SAE J1321 Fuel Consumption Test Procedure – Type II.
The rear-vision camera system is used on Class 8 tractors with camera displays on the A-pillars. The tests compared the performance of a vehicle equipped with hood, OEM side, and step mirrors, against the same vehicle equipped with smaller side mirrors in addition to the camera system, as well as the vehicle equipped with only the camera system.
The results confirmed that maximum aerodynamic and fuel efficiency benefits from using the product are obtained at higher cruising speeds, given that the device makes the vehicle more aerodynamically efficient by replacing the OEM mirrors with a camera system that creates less aerodynamic drag.
Access to the complete study is exclusively for PIT Group members who can view the study through the PIT Group web site.