Spot the human with Spillard

Thomas’s Group is specifying Spillard’s Human Detection System on every truck it purchases above 12 tonnes.

The device, located on the truck’s nearside, alerts the driver to humans in the vehicle’s blind spot.

It only detects pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, so eliminates false alarms.

An in-cab monitor visualises the distance by measurement and colour codes. If the person is 20m away it shows as green, identifying that the distance is safe. It changes to yellow and then red if the person moves into a dangerous position.

It is one of many safety devices fitted as standard to the 300 DAFs Thomas’s Group purchases each year. Others include a kerb-view window, work lamps on the back of the cab, and wheel chocks.

“We’re talking to Spillard about fitting detectors on the front of trucks, as they’ll be required for 2024,” said Thomas’s Group MD Jason Horobin, referring to changes to London’s Direct Vision Standard.

The Birmingham company keeps its trucks for between 18 months and two years, and Horobin wants them to be compliant with “current standards, not the standards of yesterday” when they reach the used market.

Its stand featured a new DAF XG (pictured), which, in addition to a host of safety devices, had also been equipped with numerous creature comforts including a full leather interior, fridge and microwave.