CycleEye® – Driver assistance systems for trucks and buses

CycleEye is an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) for trucks and buses that alerts drivers to the presence of cyclists alongside their vehicles. The Camera Mirror System not only removes the need for mirrors entirely, but it is also designed to improve the safety of cyclists, especially in cities and on other congested roads.

CycleEye uses a combination of radar and High Definition (HD) optical cameras to actively detect Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) against a backdrop of other vehicles and roadside clutter.

The unit combines HD cameras covering the Field of View (FOV) of Class 2 and Class 4 mirrors, and an optional Class 5 FOV to provide a live feed from the cameras to displays mounted to the inside of the windshield. An optional radar technology can be added to enhance detection of vulnerable road users (VRU) too.

The system comprises a single camera/radar unit on each side of the bus plus two internal displays for the driver, including Fusion’s Artificial Intelligence algorithms. Each unit can be fitted at the external mirror location of most buses using the same or similar mounting bolt pattern.

The CycleEye hardware and software was designed and developed in house by Fusion Processing to achieve the low latency required by EU Regulation #46, to provide the video stream in real-time.

By actively tracking cyclists moving alongside the vehicle the system can issue an audible warning to the driver when these VRUs are dangerously close. The result is an audible alerts of VRUs issued to the driver; "cyclist left" or "cyclist right".

Reliable detection technology

The safety of cyclists is a growing concern worldwide as cyclists are forced to share busy city streets with ever more vehicles. Spotting and avoiding bicycles is particularly hard for drivers of buses and lorries, who face cognitive overload as they manoeuvre through congested roads and have a number of blind spots around their large vehicles. Safety concerns prevent some people from cycling in towns and cities who otherwise would do so.

The CycleEye system can distinguish a cyclist from a cluttered background of street furniture and other vehicles, and works in all weathers, day and night, even when visibility is very poor. This avoids any false alerts.

Unlike systems that simply provide camera views of blind spots, which require the driver to take their eyes off the road to look for cyclists, CycleEye does not increase the monitoring burden on busy drivers. Instead, they are only alerted when a cyclist is detected. Reducing the cognitive load on drivers and removing false alerts can enable drivers to respond faster in potentially critical situations.

Proven, effective and robust

CycleEye systems have been in continual use on buses in cities across the UK and internationally since 2014, travelling over 2 million miles. They are a cost-effective solution for fleet operators wishing to improve the safety of their vehicles and local authorities looking to encourage cycling in their towns and cities.

Each CycleEye detector is housed in a sleek IP67 weatherproof case. Detectors can be fitted to vehicles in less than an hour.

Fusion Processing’s unique CycleEye allows the vehicle to run without wing mirrors proving operators with the following benefits:

Eliminate mirror head strikes that can occur when pedestrians are close to buses using conventional external mirrors
Eliminate all wing mirror collisions, which are costly and disruptive to operators
Improved vision for drivers, especially in poor weather conditions, from the performance of the HD cameras and the elimination of dirt and condensation on external mirrors
Reduce aerodynamic drag with result improvement in fuel efficiency
Uniquely, Fusion’s CycleEye will display visual warning of cyclist and pedestrians in dangerous location close to the vehicle – assisting drivers to drive safely in crowded cities