- The following is content from the press release -
(headquartered in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka; Toshiyuki Ozaki, President; hereinafter "TCI") will release on November 1, 2022 (Tuesday) the "Anti-Lost and Found Buzzer" (product number: SOS-0006) as a system to prevent children from being left behind on school buses. The buzzer sounds if a switch at the rear of the vehicle is not pressed within three minutes after the engine is stopped, forcing the driver to move to the rear of the vehicle and check inside the vehicle.
If you're going to put it on as a mandate, you need a product with a proven track record.
This product has already been introduced in countries that have already mandated the use of anti-left-behind bus systems, and has already achieved a large number of successful results. If a safety device is to be installed on a bus carrying precious children, it is desirable to install a device with a reliable track record.
Overseas countries such as the U.S. and South Korea have already experienced repeated cases of buses being left behind, and have taken measures to prevent leaving behind by means of such safety devices.
In South Korea, the introduction of safety devices is progressing faster than in Japan, with the implementation of mandatory and punitive rules for the activation of the undercarriage confirmation device starting in 2019. This product is subject to mandatory requirements in South Korea and meets quality standards such as KC certification, which is the same level system as in Canada and the United States.
About the mechanism to promote the prevention of leaving behind
When the bus engine is stopped, an announcement is made and the safety mode of the system is activated; if the driver does not press the bell to confirm getting off within 3 minutes, an alarm buzzer is played. This system, which sounds a buzzer if the driver does not press the bell after stopping the engine, helps to prevent drivers and attendants from forgetting to check the alighting of the bus, and can be repeated on a daily basis to create a habit of checking the interior of the bus. This routine can be created.
This is a necessity to remember the most basic measure to prevent accidents involving left-behind vehicles: checking the inside of the vehicle.
The product also features an "emergency button". Pressing the yellow emergency switch switches the unit to emergency mode and notifies the outside of the vehicle of its presence.
Each school is now practicing pushing the horn for children. However, even in normal situations, children may not be able to push the horn due to a lack of strength, and in a real confined panic situation, they may not be able to push the horn due to a lack of strength. We must also assume that the location of the horn and how to press it will be forgotten after a while, even after practicing a few times.
By placing the emergency button in a place where it is easier to press, easier for children to remember, and more visible at all times, we can at least reduce the risk of "not being able to press it due to lack of strength.
Risk of human error
A rear buzzer like this product is a device that prompts the driver to "check inside the vehicle," the basic measure against buses being left behind.
In recent years, the case of left-behind cases has prompted development in Japan and a number of products have been launched one after another.
However, there is a concern that the effectiveness of a device that prompts the driver to "check inside the vehicle" depends on the person who checks the vehicle. The role of the device is to prompt the driver to check the interior of the car, but it is the person who actually checks the interior of the car.
People's performance changes depending on the environment and circumstances of the situation.
No matter how thorough we are, human error is bound to occur.
We can expect the unexpected to happen and reduce human error as much as possible, but we cannot reduce it to "zero.
Factors that can cause human error, such as emergencies, children's mischief, and the atmosphere of the preschool, lurk everywhere in the course of daily operations.
Combined use of safety devices to ensure thorough measures against leaving behind.
On Monday, October 3, TCI launched SOS-0001, a device that uses an AI camera system to monitor the interior of a vehicle after the engine has been stopped, and if it spots a person, a loud buzzer will alert others of their presence.
The system is fully automated from the time of installation and does not require human operation, eliminating the risk of human error.
The concern with this product is "pride," the possibility of failing to perform a visual check because the AI camera system monitors the interior of the vehicle, assuming that it will be fine even if the interior check is somewhat inadequate.
It is true that AI camera systems serve to cover for any possible oversight, but they are not a device to eliminate the need to check the inside of the vehicle. In order to prevent left-behind, "in-vehicle confirmation" is a prerequisite.
The SOS-0006, which uses a rear buzzer to prompt the driver to check inside the vehicle, and the SOS-0001, which covers human error, can be used together to provide multiple measures to prevent leaving the vehicle at a single pick-up or drop-off.
Quadruple-layered anti-leaving system
The AI camera system of SOS-0001 is also equipped with a monitor, allowing a bird's-eye view of the vehicle interior from the driver's seat; when used in combination with SOS-0006, it can check the vehicle interior on the monitor before the engine stops, move to the rear of the vehicle to stop the buzzer after the engine stops, and visually Checking the inside of the vehicle, in case of any oversight due to human error, can be covered by AI-based in-vehicle monitoring.
This four-layered anti-leaving system, including (1) checking the inside of the car on the monitor, (2) encouraging the driver to check the inside of the car with a buzzer, (3) visually checking the inside of the car, and (4) monitoring the inside of the car with an AI camera system, will lead to thorough prevention of leaving the car.
Installation work can be performed nationwide
TCI's installation network allows for nationwide installation of this product (SOS-0006) from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
Of course, the AI camera system (SOS-0001) can also be installed onsite nationwide.
Product Overview and Specifications
Product name: Anti-left behind vehicle confirmation buzzer
Part Number: SOS-0006
Release date: Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Location of use: For all types of school buses and transportation vehicles, including kindergarten and nursery school buses and school buses
User: All responsible persons, managers, bus rental companies in kindergartens, nursery schools, cram schools, schools, etc.
Operating voltage: 12V/24V
Operating temperature: -20°C to +85°C
Waterproof rating: IP54
Decibels: 80dB
Sales Methods and Product Installation
For product sales, please contact the TCI sales department directly or use the inquiry form on our website.
Also, installation of this product requires specialized installation work. Our installation support staff or dedicated workers from our partner stores will visit the site to install the product.
TCI is able to provide installation services for all vehicles throughout Japan by utilizing the network obtained through its existing business, the installation of heavy equipment and truck electrical components by TRASAPPOR-KUN.
For inquiries, please contact
TCI Corporation (Head Office Sales Department)
2-5-41, Kigawahigashi, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 532-0012
TEL：06-6885-7250
E-Mail: honsya@tci-osaka.com
HP:https://www.tci-car-item.com/contact
