CO V E R S T O R Y
Summary Discussions The latter half of day two of the symposium was comprised of a question and answer exercise, with a panel of experts answering many of the questions raised (though far from all). Panelists Zeke Zakotnik of CRH Americas Materials Inc. kicked off the dialogue with his perspective as vice president for equipment and maintenance of a fleet. Other panelists were Lt. Ron Jenkins with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol; Greg Dvorchak with Hendrickson International; Joe Kay with Meritor; and Bernie leBastide with Navistar Inc. While many attendees were able to have their questions answered during the event, there remained questions for which there wasn’t sufficient time to answer. As a means of continuing the dialogue, CVSA encourages participation in our Operation Airbrake program, which meets twice per year – at the CVSA Workshop each spring and the CVSA Annual Conference and Exhibition each fall. Inspection-related issues for CVSA’s programs and committees to consider can be submitted through the Issue/Request for Action Form at www.cvsa.org/inspections/inspections/ issuerequest-for-action. CVSA solicited post-symposium feedback from attendees via an online survey and some of the suggestions were to include more coverage of new technologies and more hands-on engagement with equipment. For example, some attendees would have liked a demonstration of measuring pushrod stroke. CVSA will try to include these in future events,
but we also can expand on new brake-related technologies on these pages. PPBTs, mentioned earlier, while not a new technology, may represent a tool that could be used in a new way in the future. They could be incorporated into the required periodic maintenance inspections, as was done in Canada, at least as an option. Periodic PBBT tests could also be taken and the test result recorded in a vehicle log, effectively becoming part of an electronic inspection and made available to enforcement upon inquiry. We already recognize that PBBTs resolve part of the conundrum of inspecting disc brakes at roadside, offering a way to check actual braking function and performance. Similarly, leveraging on-board sensors and diagnostics is a way to improve the ability to check the condition of disc brake systems while on the road. Wheel speed sensors in the ABS and accelerometers used in ESC systems could provide an indication of braking performance limitations. Still, other sensors, such as those discussed by Tom Hewer in monitoring pushrod stroke (or disc caliper actuation), could also expand the dataset available to monitor possible braking issues on vehicles. Other sensors could be required by regulation. The cost of data processing, communications and sensors is generally coming down as technology develops. Also worth considering is what can be done with the advances in ADAS, such as front collision mitigation. The front collision mitigation systems that Kevin Grove studied and presented are
advancing, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are studying them further, in the context of a possible future mandate. These systems show significant potential safety benefits. One major carrier, Schneider, reported a 69 percent reduction in relevant front-end crashes and a 95 percent reduction in severity (cost) of the crashes that did occur since outfitting its fleet with radar-based, front collision mitigation systems. NHTSA is also in the process of requiring vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications that broadcast basic safety information (e.g., vehicle location, speed and other key safety data) to other vehicles nearby as an architecture or platform onto which crash avoidance actions and systems can be developed. A final rule has been published for light vehicles and research is underway regarding heavy trucks. The symposium was organized to provide a background of what we know from current braking technology, inspections and crash investigations, and an overview of some of the collision mitigation aspects. In addition to the relevant regulations, the details on brake technologies, the ubiquitous S-cam drum brake and today’s roadside and maintenance inspections, it’s clear that there is more we can include. With attendees expressing a desire to do it again, expect another Brake Safety Symposium in the future, much sooner than 12 years from now. n
The symposium provided attendees with information, education and training related to brake technologies, regulations, inspection procedures, tools and maintenance. THIRD QUARTER 2018
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