FMCSA’s rule change, published in March and effective May 6, 2022, amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to allow certain vehicle technology devices to be mounted slightly lower on the interior of commercial motor vehicle windshields than was previously permitted. The previous rule had required devices to be mounted not more than 4 inches below the upper edge of the area swept by the [windshield wipers FMCSA modified the rule to increase that distance to 8.5 inches, after granting temporary exemptions to numerous companies over the past several years. This final rule was a response to a rulemaking petition from Daimler Truck North America.
Here is the full article:
FMCSA Makes Exemption Permanent for Windshield-Mounted Cameras - Safety & Compliance - Trucking Info
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When Daimler speaks, regulators listen
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Bendix was another big proponent of this change for some of their advanced driver safety systems. My guess is that a lower mounted camera has a better chance of not overshooting a car in front of the truck
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I’d be interested to know if that’s the only reason for this change. @Mike_Kotloski
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I don’t know how Daimler got involved, but it appears that the reason for the exemptions and the rule change are related to ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) functionality.
I found an actual FMSCA document filed for Smartdrive’s request for an exemption:
“ADAS requires that a camera be mounted to the upper center area of the windshield in an area where the windshield is swept by the windshield wipers to provide a clear view to the lane markings on the road and other objects in front of the vehicle.”
“This location will allow for the optimal functionality of the advanced safety systems supported by the camera.”
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