T R U CKS & T R A N S P O R TAT I O N By Curt Bennink
Safety Technologies
MOVE OFF ROAD Technologies initially developed for on-road fleets are migrating to vocational trucks.
O
ver the past decade there have been major advancements in safety technology utilized in Class 8 over-the-road trucks. Roll stability technology and electronic stability control have emerged and matured over this time frame and have become popular options. The potential for increased safety with these systems caught the attention of regulators, and on June 23, 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finalized Federal Motor Vehicle Standard No. 136, which requires electronic stability control systems on all new tractors and buses weighing greater than 26,000 lbs. GVWR. The rule applies to new three-axle truck tractors manufactured on or after August 1, 2017, and all other truck tractors, including two-axle models, in 2019. Straight trucks are not included in the mandate. Meanwhile, collision avoidance systems have also become prevalent. These systems use radar and/or camera technology and often feature lane departure warning and anti-lock braking systems with rollover protection
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stability systems. They are the next logical step building on the foundation of electronic stability control. Now many of these technologies are migrating to the vocational truck market. “As collision avoidance systems become more widely used, and prices start declining with a technology that becomes more stable, we will likely start seeing this become more popular in vocational trucks,” says Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. But there are admittedly a few challenges to moving these systems off-road. “With combined radar and camera systems that are becoming available, there are components mounted at the furthest forward part of the truck in the bumper that can be fragile for typical vocational use but are protected as much as possible.”
Implementing collision avoidance systems in dirty construction environments may also involve a little more maintenance, such as periodically cleaning camera lenses. Then there are the technical challenges of integrating the systems on vocational trucks. “One of the things that make it a little more challenging for a work truck are the multiple configurations,” says Chad Semler, director of marketing for severe service, Navistar. Camera and radar systems on the front may have to be relocated due to winches or other equipment. With rollover stability systems, there are many variances in the center of gravity depending on the body mounted. “These systems, by default, require electronic stability control.
Bendix Wingman Fusion was added as an option on the medium-duty International DuraStar line early in 2016. They have to be calibrated for the application, especially something with a high center of gravity,” Semler explains. “So it is a little more complicated and requires various calibrations depending upon what the truck is doing.” Ready-mix trucks are an example of a high center of gravity application where electronic stability control is already widely used.
A FUSION OF SYSTEMS The Bendix Wingman Fusion driver assistance system is among the latest active safety and braking systems, and is available as a factory-installed option from most major North American truck manufacturers. It is currently available on an array of medium- and heavy-duty models. Wingman Fusion has been offered on Navistar’s on-highway
ForConstructionPros.com
12/20/16 2:26 PM