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 and alert both driver and cyclist.
May 11, 2015 Read time: 2 mins

Developed by UK vehicle safety specialists 8094 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 and alert both driver and cyclist.

It comprises four of Sentinel’s safety aids including a front corner system, side scan system, 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 and front corner of the vehicle, 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 cameras are connected to an internal monitor inside the cab so that the driver is visually aware of any cyclists, while 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.

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Transmax trials emergency vehicle ‘green wave’
    December 6, 2013
    Existing equipment used in Australian emergency vehicle ‘green wave’ trial. Despite the lights and sirens, accidents between the motoring public and emergency vehicles on their way to/from the scene of an incident are relatively frequent. Figures from various sources indicate that road accidents are the second most frequent cause of death for on-duty fire fighter fatalities and that more than 90% of ambulance and fire engine accidents occur when the lights are on and the sirens wailing. Other studies indica
    Read More
  • Radar effective as detection tool for hard shoulder running
    July 23, 2012
    Navtech Radar's millimetric-wave systems are being researched on the M42 in England to look into how this type of detector can assist in the opening of the hard shoulder as an additional running lane. Here, the company's Stephen Clark talks about the technology being used. In England, the Highways Agency's (the HA, an executive agency of the Department for Transport) Managed Motorways system - formerly called Active Traffic Management - uses electronic signs and signals mounted on gantries to direct drivers
    Read More
  • Active traffic management increases safety and capacity
    February 2, 2012
    WSDOT is deploying Active Traffic Management in order to increase safety and capacity on its strategic roads. WSDOT's Patricia Michaud elaborates
    Read More
  • Israel aspires to ITS-led future
    May 29, 2013
    Shay Soffer, Chief Scientist with the Israel National Road Safety Authority, talks to Jason Barnes about his country’s current ITS outlook and how he sees this developing in the future. Israel ranks alongside countries such as the US and France in the road safety stakes, with an average 7.1 deaths per billion kilometres driven. But at that point the similarities end, as the country’s overriding issue is pedestrian safety. This is driven by several factors, including being a relatively small country where pe
    Read More

Highlighted Content