like everything else,then its a great idea on a test route around stuttgart.
the reality is that its just another step towards driverless trucks by mercedes.
if you read all the blurb on the advert,then theres not lot for the “driver” to do apart from sit there and steer in the general direction of forwards.
if you knock the mirror off,then you can get back using a lens tied onto a stick with a pair of underpants.
lose the camera and its wait for the service van or gamble on the carnage as you make your way to the nearest dealel,always handy when your abroad in your rhd.
robroy:
slowlane:
Technology for the sake of it,In a nutshell
A gimmick like most other totally unnecessary electronic crap fitted to today’s trucks.
My immeadite reaction was WHY ?Great when you’re stuck 300 miles from home for a day + in the Merc d/ship being attended to by an electronics expert when they go wrong, …instead of the apparentlly worse alternative 5 min job of changing a [zb] lens.
Brilliant idea
It’s how humanity moves forward otherwise we would stand still. All these criticisms of new technology are undone by one simple fact, and it is a fact - vehicles have never been more reliable. I love new technology and I love developments like this. I don’t want to live in a world that stands still. I can’t wait to get a spin in one of these
The digital mirrors are interesting. If they can get the nearside one to automatically adjust when blindsiding to make it a lot easier that would be impressive & get the blue chip outfits lapping it up.
rob22888:
The digital mirrors are interesting. If they can get the nearside one to automatically adjust when blindsiding to make it a lot easier that would be impressive & get the blue chip outfits lapping it up.
Having read some of the stuff on the Mercedes website, I think the cameras follow the wheels of the trailer as standard, but can be set to track other parts of the truck as required.
Looks nice as they always do, i’ve driven loads of Mercs starting with a 1986 1628 right up to the present day.
Mercedes always fall short on one or more major component be it the transmission notably the EPS system, the general lack of performance, the suspension on certain variants and the obsession with cup holders.
I liked the second generation of EPS that were around in the 90’s the one with the squared off cab, you could pre select full and half gears and just dip the clutch in 29 years of driving them I have only been recovered once when a turbo on an 1735 failed and bits of it found its way into the engine.
Like the idea with the mirrors, also like the technology which is long overdue in trucks, I absolutely guarantee one thing, it will pull like [zb] to the left.
If the arms the cameras are mounted on have a motorised hinge, like car wing mirrors that fold in when parking, that’ll be good when parking on the ferry. (Or after swiping trees that jump out at you). As said, allowing the camera to pan when manoeuvring would be good.
Keeping it clean: a squirt of windscreen wash and blast from air nozzle all controlled from dash? Should be do-able if designed in from the start.
As Luke says cameras and technology price decreases with time and increasing volumes.
And Muckles saying about “flip up” screens is a good match for those drivers with a penchant to “flip their lids” at every chance.
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muckles:
rob22888:
The digital mirrors are interesting. If they can get the nearside one to automatically adjust when blindsiding to make it a lot easier that would be impressive & get the blue chip outfits lapping it up.Having read some of the stuff on the Mercedes website, I think the cameras follow the wheels of the trailer as standard, but can be set to track other parts of the truck as required.
Perhaps these "blue chip companies "would be better training their new drivers to blindside reverse in a quiet corner of the yard . Oh thats right - the companies are that cheap and tight they use agencies and the cheapset trucks on offer rather that train and retain good drivers
mike68:
I liked the second generation of EPS that were around in the 90’s the one with the squared off cab, you could pre select full and half gears and just dip the clutch
Hated by those who couldn’t use it properly though, personally I loved it and I also really liked how the shifter was on the foldup armrest type thing.
I like the new camera view mirrors concept, time will surely tell if successful or not, another future adaption perhaps could see it being linked to security camera recording for curtain watch at truck stops etc… infra red enabled*, an old timer perhaps, but love new technology. 
muckles:
rob22888:
The digital mirrors are interesting. If they can get the nearside one to automatically adjust when blindsiding to make it a lot easier that would be impressive & get the blue chip outfits lapping it up.Having read some of the stuff on the Mercedes website, I think the cameras follow the wheels of the trailer as standard, but can be set to track other parts of the truck as required.
This. The one Will Shiers drove tracked the back of the trailer meaning blind sides will be infinitely easier. He seemed very impressed with the set up (going by his comments on Twitter)
Another Gutless Wonder , they start panting at the mere sight of an approaching Hill
I’ve had a brief go in one…the ‘mirrors’ worked very well in the conditions (dry and sunny)…it’s uncanny how they track the trailer.
Less sure about the giant i-Pad in the middle of what used to be the dash. I was always taught “keep your eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel”.
Amazingly, even the GigaSpace cab has what appears to be a dog’s bed for a mattress as standard. Compared to top of the range trucks from other manufacturers, it’s a bit spartan inside. If you are doing enough nights away to make the space, cost and weight of the Giga cab a sensible purchase then surely you should get a decent bunk.
It’s like buying a £1 million house and sleeping on a camp bed.
OilyNutz:
I like the new camera view mirrors concept, time will surely tell if successful or not, another future adaption perhaps could see it being linked to security camera recording for curtain watch at truck stops etc… infra red enabled*, an old timer perhaps, but love new technology.
Yes, you can switch the ‘mirrors’ on without starting the engine and watch you diesel being stolen from the comfort of your cab without even pulling the curtains back.
I would rather see german super ingeniers working on suspension of Actros as thats basic stuff they are not able to figure out.
Im one of sceptical, as NONE electeonic stuff works in Actros…braking assist? rubish! lane departure? rubish! gearbox? total ■■■■…
they are working on wrong thing again…
switchlogic:
robroy:
slowlane:
Technology for the sake of it,In a nutshell
A gimmick like most other totally unnecessary electronic crap fitted to today’s trucks.
My immeadite reaction was WHY ?Great when you’re stuck 300 miles from home for a day + in the Merc d/ship being attended to by an electronics expert when they go wrong, …instead of the apparentlly worse alternative 5 min job of changing a [zb] lens.
Brilliant ideaIt’s how humanity moves forward otherwise we would stand still. All these criticisms of new technology are undone by one simple fact, and it is a fact - vehicles have never been more reliable. I love new technology and I love developments like this. I don’t want to live in a world that stands still. I can’t wait to get a spin in one of these
I take your point Luke, and I’m all for improvements also, and I have witnessed many over the years.
However a different method of operation on anything, does not necessarily mean it’s an improvement or development,… it just means it’s different. 
Same as if they change a steering wheel for a joystick, (ridiculous yeh, but you get my point) different method, yes, does same job yes… but not what you would call an improvement.
I think this camera/mirror thing comes under the heading of why change a proven system, when there is no real need.
As said by the other guy, there are much NEEDED improvements on the Actros already, before changing things for the sake of it.
That was my point.
I think as mentioned in comments above the fact the cameras track the trailer and make all reversing easier price it isn’t a change for changes sake deal, they’re clearly a step up from mirrors
Radar19:
I do like it. Should be interesting to see how it gets on without the mirrors. Hopefully it’ll make going through those Peages in France and Italy a lot less stressful…
Really I’ve seen the Italians with tags go thru the virtually on the limiter 
Thing is Rob, this isn’t so much about improvements for drivers, its improvements for owners and operators. Up to a 5 percent fuel saving per truck on a fleet of over 100 lets say over a year is a massive deal. Plus, it’ll save operators money not having to replace busted mirrors.
Lets talk about mirrors for a second. They are, actually quite limiting really. They can only be placed in a certain position and are exposed to all manner of things, they create a large blind spot when approaching junctions and no matter how much you adjust them they will never show you the “whole picture”. Cameras can be placed anywhere on the vehicle and can be blind spot free making the truck safer on the roads when in the hands of a capable driver. They aren’t exposed, they don’t block your view and reduce drag. Its a win win in my book. Yes there are other improvements that could be made but these things are really designed to be bought in bulk, I certainly wouldn’t be spending extra for air all round and a nicer mattress if I was running Sainsbury’s transport.
robroy:
switchlogic:
It’s how humanity moves forward otherwise we would stand still. All these criticisms of new technology are undone by one simple fact, and it is a fact - vehicles have never been more reliable. I love new technology and I love developments like this. I don’t want to live in a world that stands still. I can’t wait to get a spin in one of theseI take your point Luke, and I’m all for improvements also, and I have witnessed many over the years.
However a different method of operation on anything, does not necessarily mean it’s an improvement or development,… it just means it’s different.I think this camera/mirror thing comes under the heading of why change a proven system, when there is no real need.
As said by the other guy, there are much NEEDED improvements on the Actros already, before changing things for the sake of it.
That was my point.
Are mirrors really fit for purpose or have we just learned to live with its limitations as its the best we’ve had up to now?
Over the years they’ve got bigger and more plentiful to try and get rid of various blind spots, only to create blind spots in forward visibility and as Radar19 says these large objects attached to the side of the truck do create a lot of extra drag as well as being prone to damage and they’re not cheap to replace.
Of course the cameras are sticking out, but not as much as a mirror and it’s a smaller surface area, both in terms of aerodynamics and in terms of hitting things.
As for the ride of an Actros, I know an Owner Driver who specified cab air suspension on his, I think he said it was a £600 option, reckons it’s made a massive difference, not sure why they don’t offer that as standard.
I drive ones on full air suspension and although the ride is firm, it isn’t what I’d call uncomfortable and I prefer the harder ride (oh! Ah! Madam 
) to the MP3 we have, which feels like trying to steer while sitting on top of a space hopper.
Got to agree with others though they do feel underpowered, even at the weights we pull, but I know somebody who has a mixed fleet of Volvo’s and Mercs they’ll beat a Volvo on mpg, which for your average fleet manager/owner is far more important than being the first at the top of the hill and it’s those people who buy the trucks so I suppose that’s who they make the truck for.
I also agree the bed isn’t up to much compared to many makes, the one I drive apparently has a luxury bed, if so I’d hate to see a standard bed. Maybe it’s some German thing about hardship being good for you and I thought that was just the British boarding school system. 
muckles:
robroy:
switchlogic:
As for the ride of an Actros, I know an Owner Driver who specified cab air suspension on his, I think he said it was a £600 option, reckons it’s made a massive difference, not sure why they don’t offer that as standard.I drive ones on full air suspension and although the ride is firm, it isn’t what I’d call uncomfortable and I prefer the harder ride (oh! Ah! Madam
Could you pls post picture of yr truck with rear airbags under cab please? As ive never seen one and my mate is after one like that…
they rare like hens teeth in UK…