Conti ProViu 360 – ‘second sight’ for construction vehicles

Parking assistance technology is a nice feature to have in your hatchback, but electronic parking aids really come into their own when fitted to larger vehicles. Continental has developed a camera-based all-round system for some of the largest vehicles available, and the company is presenting it at this week’s Bauma 2013 show. Called ProViu 360, the system is designed with construction and other large commercial vehicles in mind and is intended to offer risk free manoeuvring and the elimination of the driver’s blind spot. Continental claims that in addition to increasing safety for both the driver and other road/site users, the reduction in time taken to position a vehicle and a minimised risk of vehicle damage can lead to lower operating costs.

At the heart of ProViu 360 are four micro cameras mounted on the outside of the vehicle, which thanks to fisheye lenses and high resolution sweep the complete sides, rear and front. As in a television director’s control room, an electronic control unit merges these four high-resolution digital images on a display – automatically optimised for contrast and brightness – in the cockpit, giving the driver a full view of the vehicle. At a glance, the driver can even see objects in the blind spot, an area that in the case of construction vehicles often is large enough to conceal pedestrians, cyclists and even entire cars.

Objects protruding from walls, the corners of buildings and other vehicles are immediately visible, and the driver can manoeuvre safely in critical situations, in dense city traffic, at narrow loading ramps, in cluttered factory yards, or in bustling building sites. Furthermore, the system can be of benefit even when the vehicle is standing still as it can be configured to be permanently active; this means that while parked the driver can keep an eye on the vehicle and cargo just by glancing at the monitor.

Users can choose between two display modes: At the push of a button ProViu 360 switches between 2D and 3D representation. In two-dimensional mode, the driver’s view is focused on the immediate surroundings, whereas in the 3D mode the relation between and elevation of the surroundings, as well as other road users, are more easily recognisable. For even better visibility, the driver not only can change the perspective but also control individual cameras to get an even more precise view of critical areas in tricky driving situations. 

ProViu 360 is currently being tested in the field, Continental reports.