Leading lens manufacturer Shamir recently unveiled its groundbreaking Driver Intelligence lenses at a launch event held at the historic Royal Automobile Club in Sydney. The event, which attracted optometrists from across Australia, showcased Shamir’s latest innovation in driving vision technology.
Hosted by racing commentator Greg Rust, the launch featured presentations from key Shamir executives Edmund Song, President of Shamir Asia Pacific and Rus Pillay, Shamir’s Commercial Manager in Australia, as well as Shamir ambassadors Kevin Flynn (owner of Driver Dynamics), and Harry Bates Australia’s champion rally car driver.
Mr Song noted that “the average person spends 4.3 years of their life behind the wheel”, underscoring the need for specialised lenses to enhance visual performance and safety while driving.
A COLLABORATIVE ACHIEVEMENT
A key element of Shamir’s research and development for the Driver Intelligence lenses was its collaboration with the BWT Alpine Formula 1 team, which provided crucial data on drivers’ visual needs in high performance situations. “Our partnership with the Alpine team started in 2021 and we are the first optical performance partner, not just a sponsorship, but a partner,” Mr Song said.
Mr Pillay’s presentation delved into the technical aspects of the lenses, revealing that the development process involved analysing “14 million data points, 80 different vehicle types, and 200 driving scenarios”.
The Driver Intelligence system comprises two sets of lenses with advanced filters:
- Sun lenses for daytime driving, featuring Shamir Glacier Sun UV coating, and
- Moon lenses for low-light and nighttime driving, with Shamir Glacier Expression coating.
Mr Pillay explained that these lenses are designed to address specific challenges faced by drivers, such as glare, fatigue, and difficulty maintaining focus. “One in five drivers suffer from visual fatigue. A huge amount suffer from glare – over 70%. One in three drivers suffer with adjusting gaze direction, and 19% have limited far field of view.”
STAR POWER
Harry Bates, a three-time Australian Rally Champion and new Shamir ambassador, shared his experience using the Driver Intelligence lenses both on and off the rally track. “Vision is the single most important thing that we rely on in motorsport… your eyes taking in information (around you) is what’s inputting your arms and your legs to do what they’re meant to do.”
Bates noted that the lenses have been particularly helpful in challenging conditions, such as transitioning from bright sunlight to shaded forest areas during rallies. “I’ve found myself finding it easier and easier to adjust to those conditions.”
Kevin Flynn provided insights from a driver training perspective. He highlighted the clarity provided by the Driver Intelligence lenses, comparing it to “driving in HD”.
Speaking to optometrists at the launch, Mr Pillay reminded them that “when you prescribe it in your practice, it’s not only for people that are professional drivers but for anyone that drives”.