In many industries today, machines no longer simply carry out commands. They ‘see’, analyse, make decisions… and sometimes even move around on their own. Behind these capabilities lie two technological pillars: machine vision and autonomous navigation.

These are topics we explore on a daily basis in our design office, and one thing often comes up: the terminology is quite technical. So here is a simple, practical glossary to bring a bit of clarity to it all.

At efa, we are committed to a more sustainable future.
Recycling isn’t just about sorting: it’s about preserving resources, limiting pollution and giving waste a second life.

Electronic equipment can contain precious materials such as copper, gold, palladium and certain rare earths. Extracting these resources from nature requires costly and polluting mining.
By recycling WEEE, we can recover some of these metals and reduce our dependence on virgin resources. This is an essential lever for a more sustainable and resilient industry.
WEEE can also contain toxic substances: lead, mercury, cadmium, brominated flame retardants, etc. If disposed of carelessly, these components can contaminate soil, air and groundwater.

Supervised recycling helps to neutralise health and environmental risks.

In Europe, the WEEE Directive requires companies to collect, sort and treat their electronic waste. Failure to recycle could result in penalties, but it could also damage a company’s image.
Complying with regulations means protecting your business while affirming your CSR commitments.

Every industrial company has a role to play in sustainable development. Recycling waste means entering a virtuous circle: produce → consume → recycle → reuse.
By recovering WEEE, we are actively participating in a circular economy that is less wasteful, more ethical and more forward-looking.

Here’s how efa recycles 10 types of waste every day:

Empty aerosols
Recycling prevents the release of toxic residues and allows metals to be recovered.

Copper
It is a rare and precious resource. Recycling it saves raw materials.

Scrap metal
Recycled scrap metal is used to manufacture new metal objects, reducing the environmental impact.

Soiled empty packaging
By recycling it, we prevent it from being landfilled or incinerated (even if it can be recovered in cement works or used to heat private homes).

Batteries
They are full of heavy metals and recycling them avoids soil and water pollution.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
This waste hides precious and often rare materials that can be recycled.

Neon lights
They contain mercury, which is why proper treatment protects health and the environment.

Ink cartridges
Contain plastic, metals and polluting inks. They can be cleaned, recharged or dismantled for recycling.

Yellow bins (paper/cardboard)
Recycling these materials saves wood and energy.

Black bins (all waste)
Even here, some recyclable materials can still be extracted and recycled by sorting.

At efa, we implement practical solutions to effectively collect, sort and recycle the waste generated by our activities. Every action counts.

efa offers you support and solutions to meet the new standards that will be in place from July 2024.

In 2019, the European Union introduced a major revision of the rules on mandatory safety devices for cars, vans and heavy goods vehicles. This update provides for a gradual implementation of the devices, with significant changes for trucks from July 2024.

By this date, all new trucks sold in the EU will have to comply with the General Security Regulation (GSR). (RGS).

 Among the list of compulsory safety systems,

 efa offers innovative and intelligent solutions:

Emergency stop signal : a flashing stop light (or similar) to warn other road users behind the truck that it is slowing down quickly or braking suddenly.

Our efa solutions communicate in CAN (Sentry, Side Defender, 2DKIT) or via TOR outputs (2DKIT) which can control beacons, buzzers, alarms inside and outside the truck cab.

Rear-view information : technology, materialised by a camera or sensors, which gives the driver an overview of objects and people behind the truck.

In addition to cameras for viewing the rear and/or blind spots of the vehicle, the efa range allows you to activate the detection warning only when reverse gear is active.

When we install several cameras, it is possible to display the camera that detects the pedestrian in full screen for better visibility

In addition, we have ‘passive’ 360° and ‘active’ 360° solutions with pedestrian detection, enabling the products in the efa range to respond fully to this point in different ways.

Blind spot information system: a system that warns the driver of cyclists driving alongside or crossing in front.

Our Side Defender is connected to the truck and detects the truck’s speed. By measuring the speed of the truck and objects around it, it can detect moving objects in its field of vision.

The 2DKIT uses AI to detect humans in the blind spot. The advantage is that the 140° angle gives a wide field of vision, but the detection zones mean that only the blind spots of interest are detected, combining safety with driver comfort.

Departure information system: technology that warns the driver of vulnerable road users in front of the vehicle before departure or when driving at low speed.

The 360DKIT solution detects people and positions them on the screen so that the driver knows where the danger is.

The system differentiates between humans and objects, which reduces false positives. Each alert is real and this increases the driver’s vigilance (compared with a device that rings all the time!).

360DKIT

Event data recorder: a “black box” to record accident data. Launch is planned for later in 2029.

Efa can offer optional recorders for its 360 and 360DKIT solutions.

Recording is done on USB key with automatic deletion in accordance with RGPD constraints.

Would you like support and advice? Contact us now!