Backup camera technology is standard on every newly manufactured car in the U.S. since the rule took full effect in 2018, but the technology is only a luxury on a tractor trailer.
“It’s a pretty common thing in the passenger car industry; it has just never really made it in trucks for a bunch of good reasons, but we’re pretty sure we have those issues resolved,” said Dan Forthoffer, corporate research and development director at Phillips Industries, which plans to roll out a new backup camera later this year.
One of the main reasons, Forthoffer said, is the owner of the tractor often isn’t the owner of the trailer, so the connection factor is a problem when it comes time to drop and hook. There's also the matter of placement so the camera doesn't get smashed when backing into a dock. He said another big issue is transmitting signal reliably at the distance of an entire truck and trailer.
Phillips is still working on a final design, Forthoffer said, but the result will be a wireless camera with a mobile app for drivers that Phillips is developing in order to create a software development kit (SDK) that ELD providers can integrate into their systems. Phillips plans to make the SDK available to ELD providers at no cost.
This way the camera will work with many different devices via WiFi and Bluetooth, and it removes the need for a master/slave connection, Forthoffer said.
“The majority of options for heavy-duty truck backup cams right now are wired options,” he said. “A truck driver certainly is not going to buy my screen to work with someone else's backup camera on someone else's trailer.
“Then wireless options are not the best for a 53-foot trailer; they are going to have some lagging issues because of the distance. As far as our market is concerned, I've never seen one that works reliably on a 53-foot (trailer) that’s wireless and doesn't require a proprietary screen in order to work,” he continued. “I have yet to see all of those things together. I do see the (wireless) license plate ones that have the mobile app, and they seem to work well, but after you take them past 20 to 25 feet, they don't work anymore.”
