A forward-facing camera on a Freightliner 114SD Plus. (Daimler Truck North America)
March 10, 2026 1:30 PM, EDT
Key Takeaways:
- Daimler Truck North America began factory production of a new exterior camera system for Freightliner and Western Star vocational and medium-duty models ahead of peak construction season.
- The systems aim to improve safety as ATRI reports trucking auto liability premiums rose 36% per mile from 2018 to 2025.
- Mack Trucks will offer its CommandView 360-degree camera system on the Granite in late 2027 after piloting the technology with CRH in 2025.
Backup cameras are useful, being able to see all the way around a truck even more so, especially in tight urban spaces, high-traffic loading areas or busy worksites.
Truck makers are zeroing in on adding this safety feature ahead of the peak construction season in North America.
Daimler Truck North America recently began factory production of an exterior camera system for vocational and medium-duty models.
DTNA’s announcement came a week before the ConExpo-Con/Agg conference in Las Vegas and two weeks before the Work Truck Week event in Indianapolis.
The camera system will be available on Freightliner and Western Star vocational and medium-duty models. It adds three camera views — left side, right side and forward-facing.
Western Star’s lineup comprises the 47X, 49X, 49X Power Hood and 57X trucks. The latter is an on-highway tractor. Freightliner’s medium-duty lineup comprises the M2 106 Plus and the battery-electric eM2 models. Freightliner’s severe-duty lineup comprises the 114SD Plus and 108SD Plus models.
“Clear visibility around the vehicle is important for the work our customers do every day,” said Aaron Scates, DTNA vice president of vocational and medium-duty market development.
“Offering an exterior camera system that covers all sides of the vehicle improves operator confidence. The breadth of camera options and system integration with our interactive touchscreen display make this one of the most complete visibility solutions available for vocational products today,” Scates added.
An interactive touchscreen display in a Western Star X-Series truck. (Daimler Truck North America)
The system is automatically triggered by vehicle inputs, including turn signals and reverse gear, with a real-time video feed displayed on the in-cab touchscreen, the Daimler Truck division said. The forward-facing camera, which is mounted in the grille, can be manually activated when extra visibility is desired. The system is factory-installed, although customers can also specify a pre-wire option that provides only wiring and offers the ability to select and install fleet-supplied cameras.
Meanwhile, at ConExpo-Con/Agg, Mack Trucks introduced CommandView for the Granite model. The system will be available for order on the vocational truck in late 2027, the Volvo Group division said.
In Las Vegas, Mack also debuted a revamp of the Granite. Production of the latest iteration of the Granite will begin in January 2027. The order book will open in the second half of 2026. Customers can choose from day cab and 44-inch sleeper configurations in both axle-forward and axle-back positions.
“Mack customers told us about the many challenges they face when on a jobsite, whether they’re blind spot issues or just maneuvering around other vehicles and objects,” said Nicole Portello, chief digital officer of Mack Trucks. “Every jobsite comes with a different set of challenges. We listened to customer input, and we’re now delivering technology that helps improve safety and productivity through CommandView — setting the stage for what’s next in connected vehicle technology.”
A 360-degree camera system will offer full coverage visibility around the truck. Multiple camera feeds are stitched together into a single bird’s-eye view, said Mack, adding that the high ground clearance, long hoods and body configurations of vocational trucks exacerbate operators’ stress.
Mack Trucks’ CommandView in-cab display for the new Granite. (Mack Trucks)
In 2025, Mack piloted CommandView with building materials specialist CRH, which ranks No. 40 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest private carriers in North America.
Enhancing safety protocols with blind spot minimization is seen as one strategy for slowing the pace of insurance cost increases, observers say.
Insurance cost and availability ranked No. 3 in the American Transportation Research Institute’s 2025 Top Industry Issues standings, one spot higher than a year earlier. Trucking auto liability premiums rose 36% per mile between 2018 and 2025, according to ATRI, which in November launched a research project to study rising insurance costs and risk mitigation techniques.
