Grote Industries is advancing commercial vehicle safety on two fronts, targeting high-speed rear-end collisions and low-speed yard incidents through concurrent regulatory and technological developments.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration today reopened public comments on Grote’s exemption request for a radar-controlled Rear-End Collision Warning (RCW) system following critical operational clarifications. And, coinciding with American Trucking Associations’ 2026 Management Conference & Exhibition, Grote also debuted its next-generation 4SEE Rear View Camera—a wired backing video solution that operates over standard J560 tractor-trailer connectors.
“4SEE gives fleets a platform for bringing wired safety innovations directly to the vehicle,” Andrew Grose, Grote Networks vice president, said in a news release. “With the rear-view camera, we’re taking something fleets deal with every day—backing visibility—and making it immediate, reliable, and simple for the driver.”
FMCSA reopens RCW exemption comments
FMCSA is seeking public feedback on supplemental information submitted by Grote regarding its application for a five-year exemption from 49 CFR 393.25(e), which mandates that exterior lamps on commercial motor vehicles remain steady-burning.
Originally submitted in December 2025, Grote’s application seeks permission for carriers to operate CMVs equipped with auxiliary warning lamps controlled by its rear-facing RCW system. During the initial comment period, various stakeholders, including the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), cautioned that transitioning flashing lamps to steady-burning red could lead following motorists to mistake collision warnings for service brake application.
In subsequent communications with FMCSA staff, Grote clarified that RCW auxiliary lamps pulse exclusively in amber for up to four seconds and do not transition to steady red. Steady-burning red indications are reserved strictly for service brake application. If a braking event coincides with an RCW alert, the brake-activated pulsating sequence takes immediate operational priority, Grote noted.
The self-contained system utilizes rear-facing radar to detect approaching vehicles up to 200 meters away, automatically calculating time-to-collision (TTC) and triggering warning lamps at pre-set thresholds—typically 2.1 to 4.0 seconds—without driver intervention. On combination vehicles, including doubles and triples, the system installs on the rearmost trailing unit.
Commercial 4SEE camera launch
Parallel to the regulatory progress, Grote is expanding its wired safety ecosystem with the debut of the 4SEE Rear View Camera.
The system uses proprietary data-transfer technology to transmit backing video over a standard single J560 seven-pin tractor-trailer connection, eliminating the need for secondary wiring harnesses or specialized physical connectors. By leveraging a hardwired connection rather than wireless transmission, the camera eliminates signal drops, interference, and cab-to-trailer device pairing routines, delivering lag-free video to the driver as soon as the trailer is plugged in.
Built on Grote’s 4SEE smart trailer platform, the camera offers high transfer speeds and ample bandwidth to support multiple cameras alongside planned future bi-directional data transfer. Fleets can retrofit the system onto existing 4SEE-equipped trailers to upgrade backing visibility without replacing underlying hardware.
This plug-and-play approach directly targets high-cost terminal and yard hazards by reducing backing strikes, insurance claims, equipment damage, and operational downtime.
Fleet takeaways and technology comparison
Together, these developments highlight Grote’s focus on preventing collisions across both highway and terminal environments:
