Control equipment for difficult to see or blind spot areas around vehicles, and related method

A control device for vehicles comprising:

• a vehicle;
• a sensor mounted to the vehicle for detecting an object in a monitored zone adjacent the vehicle and providing a responsive output signal when an object is detected in the monitored zone;
• a signaling device mounted to the vehicle for providing a speed output signal indicative of a speed of travel of the vehicle;
• a control unit mounted to the vehicle for receiving sensor output signals and speed output signals;
• and
• a warning device mounted to the vehicle for providing a warning signal to a driver of the vehicle, the control unit controlling the warning device to provide the warning signal responsive to the sensor output signal and the speed output signal so that the warning device provides a warning signal only when the sensor detects an object in the monitored zone and the signaling device provides a speed output signal indicating that the speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined value.

A method for monitoring zones adjacent a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• detecting an object in a monitored zone adjacent the vehicle and providing a responsive sensor output signal when an object is detected in the monitored zone;
• providing a speed output signal indicative of a speed of travel of the vehicle;
• receiving sensor output signals and speed output signals;
• and
• providing a warning signal to a driver of the vehicle responsive to the sensor output signal and the speed output signal so that the warning signal is provided only when an object is detected in the monitored zone and the speed output signal indicates that the speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined value.