Ilesbus UK has supplied its first small PSV with rear-view cameras. The I-City Max low-floor midibus is mounted on an Iveco Daily chassis and it has been delivered to Wrexham operator Pat’s Coaches.
The camera system is from Parksafe Automotive. Ilesbus UK Director Creighton Jones says that in addition to the I-City Max, the units can be specified on the high-floor, Daily-based Glance midicoach and also the larger Calista, which seats up to 36. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based products offered by Ilesbus do not currently fall in scope of the cameras.
Mr Jones adds that customer demand led to introduction of the system, which has been homologated at the Ilesbus plant in Turkey. It is fitted there and attracts a price premium of around £1,000, but that is set against reduced drag and a removal of scope for damage to mirror arms.
The cameras sit in small modules above external head height and the driver’s rear view is maintained at times of poor weather and low light, Mr Jones continues.
“Presently we will only build production camera-equipped vehicles to customer order, but we are looking at whether to make it a standard fitment [on some models] based on customer feedback,” he says.
The next camera-equipped Ilesbus vehicle to arrive in the UK will be a battery-electric example of the I-City Max.
Mr Jones adds that the I-City Max is proving to be one of the most popular products for Ilesbus UK following its introduction in 2022. Supply of base chassis from Iveco is good, and that has been reflected in the opening of a dedicated product line for all Daily-based products at the Bursa factory, he continues.