Kenworth will now offer Bendix Xvision night vision system as optional equipment for its Class 8 models under the name Kenworth Night Vision.

Kenworth is the first Class 8 truck manufacturer to offer an infrared night vision system as optional equipment.
Released by Bendix in December 2001, XVision is the first visual collision avoidance system developed specifically for trucks and other commercial vehicles. It helps drivers see five times farther in the dark.
The Bendix XVision system will be available as a published Kenworth option in the third quarter of this year.
XVision uses a heat-sensing, infrared camera mounted outside the cab to detect and instantly transmit images to an in-cab display unit. The XVision system developed for Kenworth is displayed on a high-resolution, flat-panel video monitor.
The unit helps the driver see pedestrians, animals and objects in front of the vehicle 1,500 feet ahead and beyond - or approximately five times farther than a driver can typically see with headlights. At a driving speed of 60 mph, the system's extended vision range gives drivers an extra 11 seconds to steer safely or stop their vehicle and avoid collisions caused by the unexpected.
Drivers see a real-time, black and white, thermal image of the driver's front field of view. The warmer the object is, the whiter the image. The camera can sense temperature differences as small as 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Because the camera is not affected by light, the display image is not susceptible to glare from on-coming headlights.
Bendix has sold about 200 of its XVision systems so far, mostly to fleets in Canada that have had a lot of problems with their trucks hitting deer. Although the cost is currently around $4,000, Bendix officials say that cost will go down as more of the units get into production.