How application is driving the next era of truck safety systems

How application is driving the next era of truck safety systems

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The newly unveiled Freightliner EconicSD waste collection truck sitting in a crowded Waste Expo booth sported two new components integrated into the Detroit Assurance suite of safety systems, offering a glimpse into the safety equipment future for the EconicSD’s on-highway big brother, the new Cascadia.

“One of the things we’re asking ourselves is: How do we fine tune the safety systems for the applications?” explained Kelly Gedert, director of product marketing for Freightliner and Detroit Components. She tapped a uniquely shaped radar mounted just before the rear axle and then pointed to the cameras integrated into the side mirrors. Both the radar and the cameras are new proprietary components that are enabling the side-guard assist system and camera blind-spot detection, respectively.

“For instance,” Gedert continued, “having the pedestrian recognition with the side guard assist is important because of where the EconicSD operates [residential and city centers]. Because of the visibility through the windshield, the driver is going to see a pedestrian in front of the truck, but the passenger side, along the truck body, is where the blind spots exist.”

Here’s a rundown of the new systems featured on the EconicSD:

  • Side Guard Assist: using a passenger side-mounted radar, the system can detect a moving pedestrian—be it your neighbor walking down the street or your son or daughter on a bicycle—approximately three meters away from the truck. A visual warning is given to the driver to alert him of the pedestrian—a yellow light or red light, depending on the proximity of the person. If a pedestrian (or any stationary object for that matter) is within approximately 10 in. of the truck, an audible warning will also sound in addition to a red light.
  • Camera blind spot detection: using proprietary Detroit cameras mounted into the side cab-mounted mirrors, the system can alert the driver of an object in his blind spot. Think of it like blind spot detection in your car.

It’s important to note that it is still up to the driver to be alert and responsible for the safe operation of the truck. That said, the Freightliner EconicSD offers a glimpse into the next step for the Detroit Assurance 4.0 offering on the Freightliner new Cascadia. Currently, neither the Side Guard Assist or Camera Blind Spot Detection are offered on the on-highway truck. But don’t expect it to stay that way for long.

“These are new features on the Freightliner EconicSD, but we are in development for bringing both to over-the-road applications,” Gedert confirmed, noting that one of the modifications they’d need to make would be based on trailer lengths. Currently, the new Cascadia offers the Bendix side object detection, which does not detect pedestrians.

Where the new Cascadia has a leg up on the Freightliner EconicSD is its ability to warn and perform partial braking on a pedestrian in front of the truck, thanks to the new Cascadia’s advanced front radar system. According to Gedert, the new Cascadia with Detroit Assurance 4.0 is the only on-highway truck in the NAFTA market that offers pedestrian detection of any kind. And, of course, forward pedestrian detection is a feature that Freightliner aims to bring to the Freightliner EconicSD once it’s in major production.

The bottom line: Safety isn’t optional

As applications begin to drive safety system advances, the opportunity to invest in new systems is being driven by the fleets.

“All of our customers see the need for safety,” Gedert said. “The percentage of new Cascadia builds with Detroit Assurance 4.0 is 65%. That speaks for itself.”

So loudly, in fact, that Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) announced in March that the Detroit Assurance 4.0 collision mitigation system would be standard on all new Freightliner Cascadias. Gedert noted that the 65% figure was before the standard equipment announcement, meaning it was in the majority of specs when it was only an option.

A quick refresher: the Detroit Assurance 4.0 suite of safety systems includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Active Brake Assist (ABA) 4.0. ACC helps drivers maintain a safe, continuous following distance and can be adjusted to following distances between 2.4 and 3.6 seconds. The Detroit Assurance 4.0 collision mitigation system is radar-based and always on. Its bumper-mounted radar tracks the distance from the front of the truck to other vehicles in its path. Safety systems aren’t just making the trucks safer, they’re making the drivers safer, according to Gedert.

“Adaptive cruise control is creating a safer driver behavior,” she said. “By using adaptive cruise, the drivers aren’t tailgating; they aren’t having to choose to maintain a safe following distance. If the truck’s cruise speed is set at 62 MPH and a vehicle pulls in front of truck going 55 MPH, the driver doesn’t have to make the adjustment. The radar system recognizes the vehicle, notes the reduced following distance and adjusts for the driver to get back to a safe distance. When the vehicle clears or changes lanes, the truck goes accelerates back to 62 MPH.”

For Freightliner, the safety innovation will continue with full stopping on forward moving pedestrian detection systems in the future.

“The systems can react faster than a human can,” Gedert said. “The whole idea is to augment the driver experience.”

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