REV Group announces the RV industry’s first production launch of a smart, camera-based blind spot detection system.
This system combines both blind spot detection and lane change assistance by utilizing integrated higher-resolution cameras within Velvac mirrors. Velvac’s intelligent detection technology monitors and alerts drivers via a visual blind spot icon located in the mirror glass. It can also provide drivers with an additional visual image in the monitor displaying the adjacent lane, thus eliminating the blind spot.
The blind spot detection system will increase driver awareness, allowing them to make safer lane changes and reduce the occurrence of RV sideswipes. REV’s installment of blind spot detection is a part of a larger, company-wide initiative to incorporate safety-related technologies into their vehicles, and brings to market technologies already proven by demanding professional safety applications by REV ambulance.
“The primary focus at REV RV is safety first. Blind spot detection has become a must buy for new car owners, and the same concern for safety applies to the recreational vehicle markets”, mentioned Don Gephart, marketing manager for REV Group’s Class A Motor Home division. “We want to be the leader in safety and innovation in the industry, adding the blind spot detection from Velvac is just another step toward that goal”, continued Gephart.
“We have put a lot of thought into the inclusion of blind spot detection on our coaches. The fact is, there are more new drivers on the road, and as a result, the occurrence of accidents are likely to increase. Driving an RV on congested roads can be a challenge to many RV owners and we believe that any additional visual cue that we can provide them will increase their chances of having no incidents on the way to their destination.”
Blind Spot detection will be a standard feature on REV’s class A diesel products and an option on the class A gas products for model year 2020.
Instead of implementing a basic radar detection system, REV has chosen Velvac’s computer vision-based blind spot system. Velvac’s computer vision algorithms can learn from data to detect vehicles of different sizes and shapes, providing a highly accurate method of blind spot detection. The software has undergone thousands of hours of testing to identify objects in various environmental conditions and to follow a specific set of instructions based on certain situational conditions, that when met, trigger the icon to flash. Paul Hughes, Director of RV Sales and Marketing for Velvac states,
“We are very pleased to partner with the REV team to bring blind spot detection to the RV industry. Frost and Sullivan’s report recognized blind spot detection as one of the most requested safety features on passenger cars. Consumer Reports states that over two-thirds of drivers who use blind spot detection say it helped to prevent a crash. RV owners are used to having this technology in their passenger vehicles, and given the length of RV’s and the enormous blind spots that exist, it’s not surprising that RV owners expect this safety technology in their RV’s too.”
In addition to continual monitoring of the vehicle’s blind spot, the system also provides drivers with additional awareness during lane changes. When the vehicle’s turn signal is engaged, the mirror’s icon flashes to indicate the presence of an existing or approaching vehicle. This provides drivers with additional peace of mind when changing lanes and could help to reduce preventable accidents by increasing driver awareness.
The Blind Spot Detection System is built upon the SmartHub platform, which will also provide additional future safety and security benefits to RV owners. Future services that can be accessed from this platform will enable users to monitor various RV functions directly from a tablet or mobile device, locally or remotely. Users will gain access to remotely monitor engine diagnostics information that notifies of engine troubles the moment they occur.
