A proposal from the National Transport Commission will mean over width safety systems will no longer be included in the vehicle width measurement for compliance purposes.
Currently items like mirrors, signalling devices, reflectors and central tyre inflation systems are not included in the regulation and disregarded when measuring vehicle width. The current maximum allowable width is 2.5metres.
A proposed amendment, released by the NTC, is said to address emerging issues or other problems with the standards identified by key stakeholders.
The amendments are said to, ‘allow a heavy vehicle to be fitted with a Blind Spot Information System and an Indirect Vision Device without infringing prescribed heavy vehicle width and length requirements. The amendments also update terminology to align with revised standards and enhance protection of road infrastructure.’
This rule change follows the decision to allow truck makers to mount systems like the the mirrorcam, which is now available on Mercedes Benz trucks and replaces the mirror with a small camera, the image from which appears on a large screen mounted on the truck’s A pillar.
The old rules meant that the Freightliner Cascadia was, initially, unable to utilise a new system developed by Daimler Trucks and known as Side Guard Assist, as it took the truck’s width beyond 2.5 metres. SGA uses radar to look into an area on the truck’s nearside, from five metres in front of the truck, all of the way back beyond the rear of any trailer and warn the driver of any potential problems in this blindspot.
These new changes will make it easier for all truck manufacturers to utilise technology developed for the global market, where the normal truck width limit is 2.55 metres, and introduce it here without the additional research and development dollars needed to redesign a truck component just for the, relatively small, Australian truck market.
The NTC says in the proposal it will seek ministerial approval for these amendments in November 2020.
