Pierce County adds bionic eyes to buses in pilot program

TACOMA, Wash. -- Pierce County is helping bus drivers see more with a pilot program to add sensors to some Pierce Transit buses.

The News Tribune reports that Pierce Transit is applying for a $2 million federal grant to outfit the rest of its 167 buses with technology that helps notify drivers if a pedestrian or bicycles wanders into their blind spot.

Currently seven buses have the vision sensors.

Pierce Transit Risk Manager Rob Huyck says over the past year, none of the buses outfitted with the sensors have been involved in any accidents. In the same time period, buses not outfitted with the sensors have been involved in collisions with at least two pedestrians and a bicyclist

In one of those cases Huyck says agency officials are confident the Mobileye sensors would have prevented the collision.