FIBEROPTIC VISION SYSTEM FOR HEAVY VEHICLES

THE PROPOSED PHASE I EFFORT WOULD EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A NOVEL FIBEROPTIC VISION SYSTEM FOR LARGE MOTOR VEHICLES. A NEW, BETTER MEANS OF SIDE AND REAR VISIONIS NEEDED FOR HEAVY TRUCKS AND BUSES. THE DRIVERS OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE DIFFICULTY SEEING OTHER VEHICLES IN TRAFFIC LANES TO THEIR IMMEDIATE RIGHT. WHEN THE CAB AND TRAILER OFTHE HEAVY TRUCK ARE AT AN ANGLED POSITION OR A HEAVY TRUCK IS IN A JACK-KNIFED POSITION, THE DRIVER CANNOT SEE THE AREABESIDE THE TRAILER. EVEN WITH THE USE OF MULTIPLE MIRRORS THE DRIVERS CAN FAIL TO SEE VEHICLES, PEDESTRIANS, OR OTHER OBJECTS WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURNING OR LANE-CHANGING MANEUVER. TRIANGLE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A PHASE I SBIR FOR THE USARMY AUTOMOTIVE-TANK COMMAND TO INVESTIGATE A FIBEROPTIC PERISCOPE VISION SYSTEM FOR TANKS AND ARMORED VEHICLES. THEDEVELOPMENTS IN THIS PROGRAM INDICATE THAT A NOVEL VISION SYSTEM MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE FOR BUS AND HEAVY TRUCK USE. THE SYSTEM WOULD BE LIGHTWEIGHT, COMPACT, EASY TO INSTALL, AND REQUIRE NO POWER FROM THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. AN ADDED BENEFIT COULD BE THAT THE ELIMINATION OF THE LARGE,EXTERNAL MIRRORS WOULD IMPROVE THE FRONT AND SIDE VISION OF DRIVERS. IN THE PHASE I PROGRAM, ONE OR MORE PROTOTYPE VISION SYSTEMS WOULD BE DESIGNED AND TESTED, COMPARING THE VIEWS THEY PROVIDE WITH THE VIEWS AVAILABLE FROM CONVENTIONAL SIDE AND REAR VIEW MIRRORS.