Brookhuis Coach Trips Improves Coach Visibility with Backeye®360

Manoeuvring a coach safely through busy city traffic requires a high level of skill every single day. The length, height and width of the vehicle make the situation around a coach fundamentally different from that of a car. Add to that cyclists, pedestrians and other traffic, and a clear view all round the vehicle becomes essential.

At Brookhuis Busreizen in Oldenzaal, they know this from daily experience. The company therefore uses the Backeye®360 camera system from Brigade Electronics. One of FC Twente’s team coaches is also fitted with the system.

Brigade Backeye®360 AI fitted to front of ambulance with two workers discussing it.

Brigade backeye®360 installed on brookhuis bus

Ambulance interior fitted with a Brigade wide angle lens camera.

Extra visibility where the driver needs it

“It’s a large vehicle. Its length, height and width are all different from those of a normal car,” explains Erik Oude Hendrikman, who has been working as a driver at Brookhuis for around 28 years. “That’s why we’re keen to make use of the extra aids available to us.”

For coach drivers, a clear overview is crucial, particularly when manoeuvring in tight spaces. Due to the size and design of large vehicles, traditional mirrors alone do not always provide a view of every area around the vehicle.

Backeye®360 has been developed to support the driver in this regard. The system uses four wide-angle cameras positioned around the vehicle. The images are digitally stitched together, allowing the driver to view a real-time 360° view of the vehicle’s surroundings on a monitor.

The system also offers various display options. Signal triggers can be used to display specific images when the situation requires it, for example when reverse gear or the indicator is engaged.

For a driver, this means that relevant visual information is immediately available during a manoeuvre.

“You really can’t do without it anymore”

For Brookhuis, the value of the system is particularly evident in day-to-day practice. According to Erik, traffic in urban areas has become noticeably busier in recent years.

“Especially when you’re in the city, it’s naturally much busier than it was ten years ago. That’s why we make extensive use of the Brigade camera system,”

Erik Oude Hendrikman – Driver at Brookhuis Germany

It is precisely when stationary and manoeuvring that the 360° view helps him to better assess the coach’s position. “When you’re stationary somewhere, you can see whether you’ve passed an obstacle. You really can’t do without it anymore.”

That practical advantage is important for vehicles where the driver must constantly be aware of both the coach’s dimensions and the surroundings. Backeye®360 provides a single integrated view, rather than the driver having to monitor several separate viewpoints.

The system can also be tailored to the specific application. Backeye®360 HD offers 15 available monitor views, of which up to ten can be used within a chosen configuration. These include a full 360° view, a combination of 360° and rear views, and specific views for crossing traffic or changing lanes.

For Brookhuis, this technology is not a replacement for the driver, but a valuable tool that supports the driver’s expertise behind the wheel.

A Budimex worker in a road roller loading the vehicle with tar by a tipper truck.

A Brigade monitor inside a road roller cabin showing a 360-degree view and a person being and van detected in the vehicle's blindspot.

Brigade Backeye®360 AI camera mounted to the top of a road roller cabin.

Working together to improve all-round visibility around large vehicles

Brookhuis Busreizen’s experience demonstrates how vehicle safety works in practice: technology must provide the driver with clear, actionable information at the right moment. Particularly with large coaches, improved all-round visibility can contribute to greater awareness during everyday manoeuvres.

With four cameras and an integrated 360° view, Backeye®360 helps drivers to clearly visualise the area around their vehicle. For experienced drivers like Erik, this has now become an important part of their daily work.

Would you like to know how a 360° camera system can be fitted to your coaches or other vehicles in your fleet? Please contact us.