Daimler Truck North America Adds 360-Degree Exterior Camera System to Vocational, Medium-Duty Trucks
Daimler’s new factory-installed system integrates side and forward-facing cameras with in-cab touchscreen to improve jobsite visibility and reduce upfit complexity.
Daimler's new camera system for Freightliner and Western Star vocational and medium-duty models features full perimeter visibility displayed through a consistent in-cab touchscreen interface across a wide range of body types and applications.
Credit:
Daimler Truck North America
3 min to read
Daimler Truck North America has begun factory production of a new Exterior Camera System. The new system is designed to provide 360-degree visibility for vocational and medium-duty truck operators working in tight, complex and often unpredictable environments.
The system is now available on Freightliner and Western Star vocational and medium-duty models. It builds on DTNA’s existing standard backup camera by adding left-side, right-side and forward-facing camera views. The result is full perimeter visibility displayed through a consistent in-cab touchscreen interface across a wide range of body types and applications.
Ad Loading...
“Clear visibility around the vehicle is important for the work our customers do every day,” said Aaron Scates, vice president of vocational and medium-duty market development at Daimler Truck North America. “Offering an exterior camera system that covers all sides of the vehicle improves operator confidence. The breadth of camera options and system integration with our interactive touchscreen display make this one of the most complete visibility solutions available for vocational products today.”
The Exterior Camera System is designed to work with factory-installed vehicle systems. Side camera views automatically activate when turn signals are engaged, while the rear camera displays when the truck is placed in reverse. A forward-facing camera, mounted in the grille, can be manually activated by the driver when additional visibility is needed.
Live video feeds are shown on the in-cab touchscreen, allowing operators to monitor surroundings without relying on separate aftermarket displays or controls.
DTNA said the system’s camera views and activation logic can be customized during the build process using its Custom Hardware and Electronics Configurator.
The configurator enables camera functions to correspond with specific vehicle inputs such as turn signals, reverse gear or body equipment operation -- a key feature for vocational applications such as dump, refuse, utility and construction.
Ad Loading...
Factory Installation vs. Aftermarket
DTNA emphasized that the Exterior Camera System is factory-installed to ensure full integration and performance. This includes automatic activation and native touchscreen functionality. These are capabilities the company said are difficult to replicate with typical aftermarket systems.
Daimler's new safety system features a forward-facing camera, mounted in the grille, can be manually activated by the driver.
Credit:
Daimler Truck North America
“The advantage of this comprehensive system is that everything works together seamlessly from day one,” Scates said. “Customers benefit from the performance and quality of a factory-installed system that’s designed specifically for how their trucks are used out in the field.”
For customers who prefer to source their own camera hardware, DTNA is also offering a prewire option. That configuration includes wiring provisions only, allowing customer-supplied cameras to be installed while still leveraging the truck’s integrated architecture.
Standard and Optional Coverage
Backup cameras remain standard equipment on Freightliner and Western Star vocational and medium-duty trucks. The expanded Exterior Camera System -- including side and forward-facing cameras -- is available based on customer specifications.
DTNA said the new system is intended to help reduce upfit costs, improve driver awareness and boost jobsite performance by giving operators better visibility around their vehicles.
Ad Loading...
Customers interested in adding the Exterior Camera System to new truck orders are encouraged to contact their local Freightliner or Western Star dealer for configuration details.
Kodiak has integrated HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud platform into its autonomous vehicle control system to send real-time digital hazard alerts to nearby motorists.
Cargo theft has shifted from parking-lot break-ins to organized international schemes using double brokering, phishing, and even spoofing tracking signals. In this HDT Talks Trucking video podcast episode, cargo-theft investigator Scott Cornell explains what’s changed and what fleets need to do now.
After pushback from states and industry groups, FMCSA is proposing to reverse a 2023 rule change and lengthen the duration of state-issued emergency exemptions for disaster relief.
After reports of corrosion and thermal events on trucks already repaired under a prior campaign, DTNA is recalling nearly 27,000 Western Star 47X and 49X models to address a battery junction stud defect.
Motor carriers using the affected ELDs must switch to paper logs immediately and install compliant devices by April 14 to avoid out-of-service violations.
After a legal pause last fall, FMCSA has finalized its rule limiting non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses. The agency says the change closes a safety gap, and its revised economic analysis suggests workforce effects will be more gradual than first thought.
Geotab launches GO Focus Pro, an AI-powered 360-degree dash cam designed to reduce collisions, prevent fraud, and protect fleets from nuclear verdict risk.
A high-visibility enforcement effort conducted January 13–15 removed hundreds of unqualified drivers and unsafe commercial vehicles from major freight corridors nationwide.
