Skip to main content

Cyclist safety system alerts HGV drivers

Developed by UK vehicle safety specialists Sentinel Systems, the Bike Hotspot is designed to reduce the number of accidents involving cyclists and commercial vehicles. The system is designed to sense when a cyclist is within the blind spot of a large vehicle, a common cause for fatal accidents especially when the vehicle is manoeuvring or turning left. It comprises four of Sentinel’s safety aids including a front corner system, side scan system, a side camera and an external sounder and can be customised to
February 17, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Developed by UK vehicle safety specialists Sentinel Systems, the Bike Hotspot is designed to reduce the number of accidents involving cyclists and commercial vehicles. The system is designed to sense when a cyclist is within the blind spot of a large vehicle, a common cause for fatal accidents especially when the vehicle is manoeuvring or turning left.         

It comprises four of Sentinel’s safety aids including a front corner system, side scan system, a side camera and an external sounder and can be customised to meet the needs of the vehicle and the driver. External scanning sensors are fitted along the nearside of the vehicle and on the front corner and are linked to an internal audio warning to alert the driver when there is a potential hazard. An external alert is also sounded to warn the cyclist or pedestrian that the vehicle is turning left.

The system has an option to silence the alerts at night time and alternative LED warning lights can be used to notify drivers and cyclists. The scanners are programmed to detect cyclists at a particular distance and height to avoid sensing cars or pedestrians that are not at risk. A controller area network bus module has also been incorporated to ensure that the system is only activated when the vehicle is manoeuvring at a speed below 10mph.

Each system can be adapted to the needs of the vehicle with a range of side cameras available. The cameras are connected to an internal monitor inside the cab so that the driver is visually aware of any cyclists.

For extra vehicle safety optional additional monitors and rear cameras can be added for a wider view of the vehicle’s surroundings. The rear view camera can detect when an obstruction is near that is likely to cause damage to the vehicle, preventing costly repairs and vehicle down time. Additionally, all vehicles can be fitted with a mobile digital video recorder with up to eight channels, providing footage for reference in a defence or claims situation, or for live viewing and surveillance.

Related Content

  • Telstra and Cohda Wireless conduct first Australian V2P technology trial
    July 28, 2017
    Telstra, in partnership with Cohda Wireless, has successfully conducted Australia’s first test of vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) technology over a mobile network in South Australia. The trial demonstrated vehicles interacting directly with pedestrians’ and cyclists’ mobile phones providing early-warning collision detection and alerts via an application installed on the phones. The technology was tested using some common scenarios that occur every day in Australia, such as a car and a cyclist approaching a blin
  • Digi Technologies power zero-emissions London cab
    June 27, 2016
    US-based provider of machine-to-machine (M2M) and IoT connectivity products and services Digi International has supplied its Digi ConnectCore 6 (Digi CC6) system-on-module to drive Ecotive's Range Extended Electric (REE) Metrocab taxi – said to be the only zero-emissions-capable black cab currently operating in London. The taxi's core powertrain and infotainment systems, which have been developed by Frazer-Nash Research, use the Digi CC6 to drive the Metrocab's entire driver instrumentation and passenger
  • Highways England launches initiatives to drive down motorway and major road incidents
    October 30, 2017
    To slash road causalities by 40% by 2020 and combat last year’s 8 tyre-related fatalities and 120 serious injuries, Highways England (HE) has revealed a series of initiatives to mark the end of the Tyre Safety month. Working with the NHS and tyre manufactures, HE is helping family drivers, commuters and commercial drivers keep tyres in top condition. Some of these plans are already being delivered.
  • Michigan fosters real-world testing of workzone ITS
    September 19, 2017
    Turning a ‘problem’ into ‘an opportunity’ is the mantra of just about every business book and Michigan Department of Transportation (MDoT) looks set to achieve that aim in Oakland County, where 29km (18 miles) of the I-75 needs to be reconstructed. Running north-northwest from Detroit, the I-75 carries around 170,000 vehicles per day but, being built in the 1970s, it now requires an additional lane in each direction and upgrading to the latest design and safety standards. Upgrading will be carried out in