Special Camera Monitor System Featured on Starship Initiative Truck 

Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI) has partnered with Shell Lubricants and AirFlow Truck Company by fitting its MirrorEye™ camera monitoring system on a hyper-fuel efficient truck, the Starship Initiative.

With a goal of improved fuel economy for class eight trucks, innovative aerodynamic design and low CO₂ emissions, the Starship Initiative has completed a drive across the country to demonstrate its fuel and freight-ton efficiency.

Based on the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, the Starship truck attained 28.4% better fuel economy, averaging 8.94 miles per gallon compared to the average U.S. fuel economy of 6.4 miles per gallon for transport trucks. The streamlined, aerodynamic design of the truck was amped up with the addition of MirrorEye™ in lieu of traditional, bulky side mirrors.

Stoneridge’s MirrorEye™ mirror replacement system not only improves safety by diminishing blind spots, but can also allow for the removal of side mirrors altogether to achieve a more streamlined and fuel-efficient vehicle. MirrorEye™ is an innovative camera monitor system that replaces a truck’s mirrors with integrated external digital cameras and digital monitors inside the cab of the truck. According to the company this provides the driver with enhanced vision in most operating environments where it is difficult to see with traditional mirrors. Benefits include blind spot reduction, full color night vision, trailer panning, expanded fields of view and a high definition camera and display technology.

The driver and one of the innovators behind Starship, Bob Sliwa, was a big fan of using the MirrorEye™ camera monitor system. “MirrorEye provides such a great field of view,” said Sliwa, Principal Owner and Designer, AirFlow Truck Company, LLC. “The night vision capability blows traditional mirrors out of the water and the aerodynamic design of the cameras helps to keep rain water off of the lenses so you always have a clear view. The look-down camera and monitor virtually eliminated the front passenger side blind spot of the tractor which made for a much safer ride.”