At a media event this week near the company’s Troy, Mich., headquarters, Meritor WABCO introduced several new products, including the next generation of its OnGuard collision safety system; the next generation of its Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system; and ESCsmart technology designed to enhance the performance, functionality and flexibility of electronic stability control.

The improved OnGuard system features advancements in radar-based technology, according to Meritor WABCO. The system integrates collision warning, adaptive cruise with active braking and collision mitigation, and will be available on every vehicle ordered with OnGuard after Oct. 1.

The new OnGuard system features improved object tracking performance and stationary object warning capability. Major improvements include:

• Advanced radar resolution and robust tracking designed to minimize false warnings from very small, inanimate objects.
• Evasive maneuver check, giving the system visibility into adjacent lanes. If the system recognizes the potential for a rear-end collision and detects an object in an adjacent lane, it is designed to detect that the vehicle cannot perform an evasive maneuver and apply the brakes sooner.
• Auto alignment, designed to eliminate the need to perform small, manual adjustments during installation and over time due to normal operating conditions.
• Improved driver display with a larger, higher-resolution screen and day/night modes.

Meritor WABCO said its next generation Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system, which includes SafeTraK technology by Takata Corp., will be available for fleet installation starting in October 2012. The system offers automatic calibration and integrated diagnostics to simplify setup and operation.

LDW is a forward-looking, vision-based system designed to monitor the road and the vehicle’s position in the lane, audibly warning the driver if the vehicle unintentionally leaves its lane. Drivers are alerted if the system detects lane drifts, weaving or lane changes without a turn signal application, the company said, adding that advanced image analysis algorithms enable the system to detect a wide variety of lane markings, such as dividing lines on the highway, even in unfavorable lighting or weather conditions where there are limited visible solid, dashed or reflective lane markings. The system features a Driver Alertness Warning (DAW) function that provides a warning when the system determines that the driver is drowsy.

“With more than 800 million North American commercial truck miles logged, Meritor WABCO’s LDW system with the addition of next generation SafeTraK technology by Takata broadens our portfolio of active safety systems for the commercial vehicle, allows us to be a single, integrated supplier for all critical safety needs, and provides the fleet with a valuable tool in improving safety and reducing costs,” said Jon Morrison, president and general manager of Meritor WABCO.

Lastly, the company introduced its ESCsmart technology, which will be included in Meritor WABCO’s next generation ESC when it is released in 2014. The technology builds upon the current “self-learning” capability, whereby the system is designed to automatically adapt to changes in vehicle characteristics and wear without the need to reprogram a separate Electronic Control Unit (ECU), according to the maker.
           
“The technology advancements with self-learning will not only help save manufacturers time and cost in the validation and application process, but fleets can reduce down time due to the need for reprogramming the ECU every time they have a truck and/or trailer configuration change,” Morrison said.

ESCsmart offers more flexible adaptation to multiple vehicle types, including vehicles with more than three axles, vehicles with steerable axle lifts and straight trucks that tow trailers. The system also constantly tunes as parts wear and vehicle characteristics change over time, automatically adapting to the specific vehicle parameters during the normal driving process, the company added.