TRANSPORT for London has misjudged the importance of technology when developing its Direct Vision Standard (DVS) legislation, warns road safety specialist Brigade Electronics.
From 26 October 2020, all goods vehicles over 12 tonnes will require a permit to drive into Greater London, including vehicles from outside of the UK although that enforcement has been delayed until 1 March 2021.
Enforced by Transport for London (TfL), the DVS legislation is based on a ‘star rating’ indicating how much a driver can see from the cab in relation to other road users.
TfL has focused on ‘Direct Vision’, where the driver sees through unimpeded line of sight, at the expense of ‘Indirect Vision’, where drivers have an awareness of their surroundings through state-of-the-art camera monitor systems and ultrasonic obstacle detection.
TfL claims drivers using indirect vision have a slower response time than those using direct vision alone but the marketing manager of Kent based Brigade Electronics retorted: ‘While direct vision is of course important, the TfL’s research is flawed and simplistic when it comes to technology. Direct vision is not perfect, because if you are not looking in the right place at the right time, you will not see the potential danger.
‘And safety technology is more than just indirect vision. It includes passive and active systems that alert the driver to something in his blind spot, which encourages him to look. ‘Meanwhile, cameras provide a wider angle of view than mirrors.
‘HGV drivers need a combination of direct and indirect vision for optimal safety,’ he stressed.
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