August 20, 2008
Freightliner Trucks and Meritor WABCO Offer Collision Safety System
PORTLAND,
OR - Freightliner Trucks, in
conjunction with Meritor WABCO, has announced the availability of the
OnGuard Collision Safety System for select Cascadia and Century
Class S/T fleets.
Developed by Meritor WABCO, OnGuard is a forward-looking,
radar-based adaptive cruise control system with active braking for commercial
vehicles. New to the North American market, active braking improves vehicle
safety by automatically using the vehicle foundation brakes to alert the driver
and decelerate the vehicle when a pre-set vehicle following distance is
compromised.
The system is an industry-first technology introduced in
early 2008 and is designed to improve commercial vehicle safety.
"As a leader in safety technologies, we are pleased to
be able to offer this system," said Christoph Hofmann, director of product
strategy, Freightliner Trucks. "Any advanced safety feature we can make
available on our vehicles is one more step toward improving overall driver
performance and safety."
Freightliner Trucks prepped select vehicles for the OnGuard
system that applies the foundation brakes in adaptive cruise control mode. In adaptive
cruise control mode, automatic foundation brake control distinguishes OnGuard
from existing systems, which alert the driver to a potentially dangerous
situation through alarms, and engine control.
With adaptive cruise control activated, if the pre-determined
"safe" distance is compromised, OnGuard will immediately provide
visual and audible warnings to the driver; vehicle deceleration through engine
control, retarder control, and most important, foundation braking.
Foundation brake deceleration can be greater than or up to
one-third of a full brake application for the vehicle but within safe limits
for the driver to take control.
"In cruise control mode, the automatic application of
the foundation brakes when a threat is detected by OnGuard is what excited us
about this technology," said Ben Smith, on-highway product strategy
manager for Freightliner Trucks. "Meritor WABCO is the industry leader in
braking technology, and Daimler Trucks is the industry leader in on-highway
vehicles, so it's a natural fit."
OnGuard's forward-looking, mono-pulse radar sensor is
capable of detecting multiple moving objects at distances up to 500 feet away.
It quickly coordinates responses from the engine, transmission, and anti-lock
braking systems through communications across the SAE J1939 data network. It
provides feedback to the driver through the in-cab dash display, which includes
a progressive audible alert.
The OnGuard system has already been installed on more than
500 vehicles and has orders for an additional 400 units.