Three angles for a perfect overview

The blind spot? Practically a thing of the past thanks to MAN OptiView. Professional trucker Georg Endres joined MAN expert Albert Zaindl in a series of tests to find out just how helpful this innovative feature is.

Up until now, drivers needed to look at three mirrors to keep a clear view of their vehicles’ surroundings. One area is particularly critical: the zone around the blind spot is as good as invisible to drivers. With the new MAN OptiView digital mirror cam system (DMS), all views from the main mirror, wide-angle mirror, and kerb mirror are replaced by one combined image. Two cameras are installed in a camera arm on each side to make this function possible. The control unit sits behind the display and generates a composite image from both cameras, which is then shown on the left- and right-hand digital mirror display.

For instance, a glance at the mirror on the co-driver’s side will show the driver what is going on at the vehicle’s rear right-hand corner. At the same time, the driver can check that the entire side is clear: a real boon in urban traffic or when cornering. “It’s no longer possible to overlook cyclists or obstacles. With normal mirrors, the driver would also need to check the wide-angle or kerb mirror to see whether the entire side was clear,” says Albert Zaindl.

A question of perspective

The driver can choose between three possible views in the DMS: the standard view is suitable for typical driving situations, with a wide-angle view for a speed range of 0–50 km/h and a zoom view that can be manually selected upwards of 50 km/h. It is also possible to configure automatic view changes in specific driving scenarios within the system. “I really am very pleasantly surprised,” beams trucker Georg Endres, who put the new DMS system through its paces with Albert Zaindl.

“I can see a long way and manoeuvre very easily. I didn’t think it would be so effective.”

Georg Endres

And Georg, who’s been driving trucks for 34 years, was particularly surprised by one fact: the blind spot is a thing of the past. “It’s true – it really is gone,” he laughs. He’s also convinced that he will benefit most from the system on construction sites, which he traverses daily with his MAN TGX semitrailer tractor equipped with a tipper. “I won’t need to look in so many mirrors and can see even further,” Georg explains. “There’s always stuff lying around the site, and I’ve often run over things by accident,” he adds.

The pro trucker is also impressed by the razor-sharp image quality. “All four cameras for the wing mirrors and the displays themselves boast HD resolution and are automotive-grade devices that satisfy our requirements throughout the entire service life. They are distinguished by their very high image quality – including at night and when switching from light to dark stretches of road,” expert Albert Zaindl confirms.

A watchful eye during breaks

Georg Endres also finds it handy that he can keep an eye on everything during his breaks with MAN OptiView. “I can lie down on the bed at the back of the cab, activate the mirrors with the remote control and keep an eye on what’s going on around my truck.” Zaindl adds that this “monitoring mode” is also controllable via the door control module, not just the remote.

And the examples mentioned so far were really just a sample of the benefits drivers get with the cutting-edge system. For instance, the displays on the left and right are installed directly on the access handle by the A-pillar. “This is where we can preserve as much of the direct view as possible,” Zaindl explains. What’s more, the display is very robust, satisfying the same requirements as the access handle. The positioning low down on the A-pillar also means that the driver doesn’t need to take their eyes off the road too much. And being as far away from the driver’s head as possible also enables older or long-sighted drivers to see it perfectly. The display on the co-driver’s side is 3″ larger to compensate for the greater distance to the driver, ensuring optimum recognition of the camera image.

Albert Zaindl and Georg Endres are certain that many drivers will be delighted with the MAN OptiView system after the inevitable – and perfectly natural – period of adjusting to it. Of course, this is all a matter of perspective, but definitely a giant leap towards maintaining a clear view in any driving scenario.