Stoneridge Inc partnered with Shell Lubricants and AirFlow Truck Company by fitting its MirrorEye camera monitoring system on a hyper-fuel efficient truck, the Starship Initiative.
Based on the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, the Starship truck attained 28.4% better fuel economy, averaging 8.94 miles per gallon compared to the average US fuel economy of 6.4 miles per gallon for transport trucks. The streamlined, aerodynamic design of the truck was amped up with the addition of MirrorEye in lieu of traditional, bulky side mirrors.
“Stoneridge is proud to be a part of this leading venture in efficiency,” said Jon DeGaynor, president and chief executive officer of Stoneridge. “Our MirrorEye system provides a solution to the safety and fuel economy challenges facing commercial vehicles and fleets while providing a platform for future growth adjacencies. The future of safety and emissions technologies is here, and MirrorEye is at the forefront.”
Stoneridge’s MirrorEye mirror replacement system not only improves safety by diminishing blind spots, but can also allow for the removal of side mirrors altogether to achieve a more streamlined and fuel-efficient vehicle.
MirrorEye is an innovative camera monitor system that replaces a truck’s mirrors with integrated external digital cameras and digital monitors inside the cab of the truck. This provides the driver with enhanced vision in most operating environments where it is difficult to see with traditional mirrors. Benefits include blind spot reduction, full color night vision, trailer panning, expanded fields of view and a high definition camera and display technology.
The driver and one of the innovators behind Starship, Bob Sliwa, was a big fan of using the MirrorEye camera monitor system. “MirrorEye provides such a great field of view,” said Sliwa, principal owner and designer of AirFlow. “The night vision capability blows traditional mirrors out of the water and the aerodynamic design of the cameras helps to keep rain water off the lenses so you always have a clear view. The look-down camera and monitor virtually eliminated the front passenger side blind spot of the tractor which made for a much safer ride.”