Sainsbury’s unveiled a lorry featuring several safety features aimed at minimising collisions with cyclists and pedestrians at last month’s launch of London’s Safer Lorries Scheme consultation.
The vehicle – developed in collaboration with temperature-controlled specialist Solomon and manufacturer Mercedes-Benz – features 360-degree proximity monitors, extra side lighting and low sideguards.
Sainsbury’s retail and operations director Roger Burnley said: “This is an important step in our work to make London’s roads safer. We’ve put an enormous amount of thought and research into creating a truck that we hope will be the safest on the road, for all road users.”
Features include Brigade 360-degree cameras feeding to a display in the cab to provide maximum visibility around the vehicle, ultrasonic front and rear proximity sensors, a Sentinel reverse system to alert the driver to cyclists, pedestrians and other objects, sideguard extensions with reflective infills and LED burst lights along each side to illuminate the surroundings in low light conditions. There are also additional indicators, and Sainsbury’s new tail-lift platform, which has straps to reduce the risk of the driver or load falling off.
Sainsbury’s, which has seven of the trucks on the road and nine on order, said the equipment adds about 10% to the cost of the vehicle.
