Please by gentle I am a new member, but have been reading the posts for years. Anyway I just thought I would show you all a couple of pictures of my new truck. It was delivered on the 18/7 and I am just waiting for the sign writers to do there thing before I get to use it full time. I think this is the first one in the country. I was able to have a quick drive in it with the sales rep and I can honestly say the truck is amazing The cameras are defiantly the way forward and I will post further updates once I get it on the road full time. Just a quick piece on me I have been driving as a job since 1984,class one since 1994,and for the past 5 1/2 years have been driving an Actros which I had from new. So I might just be in a position to give an opinion of the new Actros as compared to the older version, anyway more updates to follow.
Never paid much attention to these tbh, but I notice from your pics a dirty great rear facing camera on the top corner. I’m assuming that this is to feed the internal display? Maybe I’m being picky here but at least on an overgrown country road you have a semi chance of a branch folding your standard mirrors in, but looking at that camera it seems equally as likely to get hit as a normal mirror but with 10x the expense to put right.
Maybe I’m wrong, but it looks like tech for techs sake.
the maoster:
Never paid much attention to these tbh, but I notice from your pics a dirty great rear facing camera on the top corner. I’m assuming that this is to feed the internal display? Maybe I’m being picky here but at least on an overgrown country road you have a semi chance of a branch folding your standard mirrors in, but looking at that camera it seems equally as likely to get hit as a normal mirror but with 10x the expense to put right.Maybe I’m wrong, but it looks like tech for techs sake.
Why not wait for the review from someone who will be driving one on a day to basis and can tell us about the pitfalls, if any?
Because it’s a discussion forum and if he doesn’t give a review for a few weeks that thread’ll disappear from this page. Happy?
the maoster:
Because it’s a discussion forum and if he doesn’t give a review for a few weeks that thread’ll disappear from this page. Happy?
No.
Now shut up and don’t discuss anything until you’re told!
Bit of a review
something new like this is where the forum (industry?) really shows its age.
from what i’ve seen these cameras look brilliant. From the driver being able to manually mark where the end of his trailer is on the monitor(no more crying about not getting flashed in 
) to the camera moving as the lorry turns, keeping the trailer in view at all times.
toonsy:
the maoster:
Because it’s a discussion forum and if he doesn’t give a review for a few weeks that thread’ll disappear from this page. Happy?No.
Now shut up and don’t discuss anything until you’re told!
maga:
something new like this is where the forum (industry?) really shows its age.from what i’ve seen these cameras look brilliant. From the driver being able to manually mark where the end of his trailer is on the monitor(no more crying about not getting flashed in
I don’t think anyone is saying they are a bad invention, just that they may cost a wedge when ripped off (which they will be, just like current ones can be) so in that sense, the original is the fallback option.
City West in Avonmouth have a few in.
Saw the black demonstrator last week and a white one today.
I did notice that camera arm drivers side right at the top and it does seem to poke out quite a bit.
Till I drive one I can’t really comment but when your looking at the mirror your vision is also lookin out the window taking in everything else whereas if your looking at a screen mounted on the door Piller your not taking in the full window view.
Would be interesting to see if side swipe accident increase
All you have there is new mirrors same old truck, well that’s what it looks like
How many spine transplants have you needed in the last 5 or so years? We all know the Actros can be a little rough at times.
the maoster:
Never paid much attention to these tbh, but I notice from your pics a dirty great rear facing camera on the top corner. I’m assuming that this is to feed the internal display? Maybe I’m being picky here but at least on an overgrown country road you have a semi chance of a branch folding your standard mirrors in, but looking at that camera it seems equally as likely to get hit as a normal mirror but with 10x the expense to put right.Maybe I’m wrong, but it looks like tech for techs sake.
I believe the camera arm also folds in, far smaller object to hit in the first place, but yes possible. I have seen the cost of replacements it is more than a mirror arm but not 10X as much, however maybe with the things it’s able to do there could be more savings in less damage in other areas.
We’ve all got used to mirrors and perhaps have learned to accept or don’t think about their short comings, maybe driving these we will suddenly realise what an inadequate piece of kit mirrors are or maybe not, I’d like to try one for myself before I write it off as a gimmick.
maga:
something new like this is where the forum (industry?) really shows its age.from what i’ve seen these cameras look brilliant. From the driver being able to manually mark where the end of his trailer is on the monitor(no more crying about not getting flashed in
You’re maybe right about the age thing, but on the other hand why change something, when in REAL terms there is no real need (mirrors are a tried and tested and very efficient method of rear vision as it is) but worse why just for the reason of a gimmick or ‘‘just because they can’’. 
Your argument for all round ‘superduper panoramic’ vision , is fine, but my argument would be if you NEED to see THAT much you shouldn’t be driving the ■■■■ things tbh…(not you personally btw, I don’t know you. )
You say they enable you to see exactly where the end of the trailer is the point to pull in on an overtake …Some of us already know where it is now, and when to safely pull in ! .
Mate…it’s ■■■■ bad enough as it is, with the ■■■■ whits who pull in at the first opportunity (making me wanting to kneecap the ■■■■ s btw 
) now they’ll be pulling in (when the dash presumably beeps yawn bloody yawn ) at the first ■■■■ micro second of clearance presumably…brilliant idea eh? Just what those ■■■■ clowns who can not drive need.
Actroses are one of the worst trucks on the market, the ride comparable to an 80s ERF, ( I know, I’ve driven them)
A crap seating position elevated up in the air (unless like me your seat is taken off suspension to counteract it thus making the ride even worse ) resulting in looking like a complete 2 hat driving it into the bargain.
The ridiculous high side cupboards where you need stilts, the crap interior top cupboards no good for a microwave…I could go on for ages.
I’ve told my lot I aint having another new one, I’ll keep the old one with all my kit already set out in it, that is what I think of the ■■■■ things.
So Mercedes Benz should spend their Euros on sorting out the quality of the ■■■■■■■■ product rather than on some needless ■■■■ gimmick for the sake of it.
So to o/p (who says it’s an ‘‘amazing truck’’ 
…unless you can tell me the important things have changed, I aint really interested.
I are hoping it work well, because when you pulling out of a junction it is so easy to miss a car because its in the mirror blind spot. Worst for me used to be Volvo FM, You could lose a bloody great van behind the mirror + mirror arm. We will see.
I just wish they sort out the ride on a fleet spec Actros. I drive a 4x2 and I hate it with a passion 
So long as those cameras are reliable enough then they should be a good thing overall, certainly losing the huge blind spots caused by the wardrobe sized mirrors these days would be a welcome improvement.
Yes they can still be hit, but a lot less chance of clouting them than a full sized mirror housing, plus due to the less wind drag of the camera arm it will need less resistance to be being pushed in so able to be knocked in without too much damage.
I’d like to try them out, if they somehow automatically track the edge of the trailer on reversing that would be most welcome, as doing so manually on blind sides takes a bit of practice and can be a pita if you happen to be in a strange vehicle.
I suspect there’s an optional system for operators where the images from these cameras can be saved to a hard drive to compliment the standard outside forward facing and the (hopefully avoided by most of us for as long as possible) in cab camera.
It occurs to me that some care and practice will have to be taken in interpreting the image you will see. After all, you will be seeing a real time image instead of a literal mirror image. I had some experience of this with a camera system in a scania I used to have. A modest screen inside split into 4 parts, front, 2 sides pointing back, and a rear (not used as no camera on the trailer) if wanted though I could make each view full screen. Not meant for reversing but I did try. Ended up permanently covering the screen as it was a distraction and it messed with my head too.
How will the experienced drivers cope when there practiced habit is to look out of the window at a mirror and not at a screen in the cab . How long would it take to adapt ?
rigsby:
How will the experienced drivers cope when there practiced habit is to look out of the window at a mirror and not at a screen in the cab . How long would it take to adapt ?
Not much different to be honest, the screens are almost mirror sized and fitted on both A pillars, so still moving your head to where the mirrors would have been just not so far.
Some of the older lorries the nearside mirror especially was visible through the windscreen rather than the nearside door glass so hardly a new thing, yes it would be unusual for a while but i have a feeling benefits would outweigh any drawbacks, make cleaning the mirrors the work of seconds too, and worth the time polishing some RainX into the camera lens to help keep spray off completely.
Another benefit should be forcing wind deflection faster round the cab sides without mirrors disrupting the air flow, this should lead to side windows staying cleaner longer in bad weather.
WhiteTruckMan:
It occurs to me that some care and practice will have to be taken in interpreting the image you will see. After all, you will be seeing a real time image instead of a literal mirror image. I had some experience of this with a camera system in a scania I used to have. A modest screen inside split into 4 parts, front, 2 sides pointing back, and a rear (not used as no camera on the trailer) if wanted though I could make each view full screen. Not meant for reversing but I did try. Ended up permanently covering the screen as it was a distraction and it messed with my head too.
Looking at the video above the “mirror” screen images look the same orientation as a standard glass mirror.