Velvac And Fontaine Fifth Wheel's Dual Assist Camera System Earns Heavy Duty Trucking's Top 20 Products Award

NEW BERLIN, WI -- March 24, 2015: Velvac, Inc. and Fontaine Fifth Wheel have received Heavy Duty Trucking’s Top 20 Products award for a jointly developed camera-based vision system that assists with the tractor/trailer coupling and uncoupling process.

“Fontaine has deep domain expertise in fifth wheel systems and Velvac is the leading supplier of applied camera systems for commercial vehicles, so it was logical for the two companies to partner to bring a unique solution to market.”

The Dual Assist Camera System features two video cameras that work together to give the driver a clear picture of both the fifth wheel and approaching trailer. Two cameras are mounted back-to-back behind the tractor’s fifth wheel and wired to a display in the cab — automatically turning on the back-up camera when the truck is shifted into reverse. Cross-hairs in the display assist with the proper alignment to the trailer and, as the kingpin passes over the forward facing camera, the driver is provided with an unprecedented view that assists with the proper coupling and latching of the kingpin to the fifth wheel.

Fontaine approached Velvac in 2013 with an idea for a system that would aid in coupling heavy duty trucks with trailers, Velvac CEO Jeff Porter explained. “Fontaine has deep domain expertise in fifth wheel systems and Velvac is the leading supplier of applied camera systems for commercial vehicles, so it was logical for the two companies to partner to bring a unique solution to market.”

Added Velvac’s V.P. of Engineering, Peter Whitehead: “While there has always been a large blind spot in the fifth wheel area of the truck, until now that area has been environmentally inhospitable for the application of camera systems.”

The system uses two opposing cameras, which are completely enclosed inside an aluminum housing that is heated to shed snow and ice build-up. When the vehicle is in reverse, a motorized actuator opens two doors, exposing the cameras and providing an ideal view of the kingpin-to-fifth wheel coupling/uncoupling process on a dash-mounted display. The doors then close to provide protection for the cameras under normal driving conditions.

“Many truck elements, from transmissions to communications devices, have evolved in recent years to be more user-friendly, but drivers still have had to rely on their mirrors to line up their trailers,” said Roger Crawford, President of Fontaine Fifth Wheel. “Mirrors do not provide an optimal vantage point for viewing the coupling process. With the Dual Assist Camera System, you can see up-close what is really happening.”

Each year, Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)’s editors identify the very best of the past year’s introductions for their Top 20 Products list. For the 2015 ranking, HDT Editor in Chief Deborah Lockridge and her team chose from products that appeared in the magazine’s editorial pages between December 2013, and November 2014, and/or appeared in editorial coverage on truckinginfo.com through the end of October 2014. Each product was selected based on its level of innovation, whether it addresses significant industry issues or concerns, and its potential to improve a trucking operation’s bottom line.