This vision / detection system can take the form of:

• The vehicle-mounted rear view mirror or rear view camera monitoring system to meet the requirements of ECE 46 on indirect vision;
• One or more additional proximity rear-view mirrors;
• An additional rear (reversing) camera system;
• A detection system (e.g. parking sensors);
• A combination of the above devices.
• For each of the permitted vision / detection systems, namely mirror / s, camera system or detection system, the regulation also specifies the requirements relating to the design, operation and installation.

The ECE Regulation n. 159 applies to vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2 and N3 (e.g. buses, coaches, trucks and tractors) and requires the installation of a system that allows the driver to detect the presence of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, close to the front of the vehicle when the vehicle is stationary or traveling forward at speeds of up to 10 km / h.

The system must inform the driver via an optical signal and must provide an additional warning signal to the driver when a potential collision is detected. This warning sign must be a combination of at least two of the following: optical, audible or tactile.

The regulation provides for specific test procedures to verify the performance of the system, providing for the use of “targets” representing an adult pedestrian, a child pedestrian and an adult cyclist. It also specifies the proximity distance range within which the system must be able to operate, the restrictions on when the system can be deactivated and the requirements on the alerts to be provided to the driver in the event of a failure within the system.