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WHAT PRICE SAFETY?
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Increasingly, truck manufacturers are adding electronic safety and driver assistance systems to their options list. But are they worth the
money? Geoff Ashcroft investigates. 0 n the face of it, development of electronic driver assistance systems appeals to be moving in a positive direction. Systems such as lane guidance cameras for motorway routes, adaptive cruise control systems that "follow" the vehicle in front and electronic stability programs that monitor and react to body roll and lateral forces, are among the many devices being billed as must-have safety accessories for truck drivers.
But who is buying them? We spoke to several manufacturers to seek feedback from operators but only one, Mercedes-Benz,could point us in the direction of a user — the McLaren Fl team running high-spec 4x2 Actros tractors. It seems many users are not prepared to spend the money or are simply watching and waiting.
Operational effidendes?
Manufacturers, however, are keen to stress such technology has an important part to play."It's not technology for technology's sake," insists a spokesman for Mercedes-Beriz."There are operational efficiencies to be gained,be it lower fatigue or. in the case of stability control systems, a reduced risk of roll-over."
Mercedes-Benz cites satellite navigation as a similar example of how electronic driver assistance systems have been progressively adopted by operators. "Those who have learned to use sat-nay properly will rarely reach for the road atlas." Mercedes says.
The latest round of electronic gadgets comes from MAN, which introduced a host of driver assistance systems— and intimated at possible future developments at a recent safety seminar.
MAN believes that advanced electronics,such as those used in its TGA heavy-duty truck series, have eased the way for sophisticated driverassistance packages that enhance safety.
"Early warning systems combined with electronic intervention will help avoid accidents and take pressure off the driver,"says MAN's head of heavy truck engineering Dr Karl Viktor SchallerThese systems include adaptive cruise control, electronic stability programme and lane guidance.Though not part of the standard specif ication, the y can be found on the extra-cost options list for the TGA series.
A price to pay
With prices starting at f 1.242 for the electronic stability programme, few will be able to justify such additional investment for little or no tangible retum.11iat said,it remains clever technology.
Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) controls driving dynamics by monitoring and reacting on information from sensors that record body roll,lateral acceleration,steering angle and individual wheel speeds. ESP is based on the EBS electronic braking system and combines with anti-lock and anti-skid functions to intervene through selective wheel braking and throttle control.
CM had an opportunity to test the system at MAN's test facility in Germany,where a TGA 4x2 tractor coupled to a tri-axle tanker laden with water was equipped with stabiliser wheels.
The first few laps of the test track were without ESP's assistance.At speeds approaching 601(m/h on a gentle, sweeping bend, and without warning. the tanker rolled onto its stabilisers Switching on ESP activates a highly efficient early warning system.As speed slowly built to about 401cm/h when negotiating the same sweeping bend, warning lights burst into life and the engine speed was automatically reduced to bring the vehicle to a safer, more controllable speed.
To encourage more dramatic intervention of ESP, the driver has to deliberately put the truck into an aggressive manoeuvre, heaving on the steering wheel to force it into a tight, high-speed turn. In addition to managing the throttle, ESP responds by automatically applying the brakes -but to selective wheels to correct the truck's position on the road without driver intervention.
CM believes this type of system does have a future in commercial vehicles, but not while it remains on the options list.Other systems being developed by MAN include its Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and video camera-based Lane Guard System (LGS), which we also evaluated.
LGS is a monitoring and warning system for use on multi-lane highways and is activated at speeds above 60Iun/h. It relies on a dashmounted video camera to centralise the position of the truck on the road, achieved by monitoring lane markings.
lithe vehicle strays to the edge of its lane, art audible warning is played through the in-cab speakers. alerting the driver to an unwanted lane change.The f1,452 camera system is over-ridden when direction indicators are used.
&urgency braking
Other systems currently under development at MAN involve the use of radar sensors, laser scanners, infrared, video equipment and ultrasonic sensors.The firm also believes that in the next few years it can extend the function of adaptive cruise control to bring the vehicle to a complete standstilland develop an emergency braking assistant that will apply the brakes lithe driver does not react to warnings about dangerous on-road situations.
There's also the development of kerbside radar sensors to monitor the distance and rela tive speed of objects moving along the nearside of the vehicle, such as cyclists and motorbikes. CalledTUni-Off Assistantit is expected to be commercially available in the next two years. Effectively an extra pair of eyes that sweeps an 8m area extending in front of and alongside the vehicle,the system warns of any objects via images in the external mirrors and audible warnings.
Me rcedes-B enz,Volvo and Daf also offer commercially available electronic assistance systems,but uptake is still slow.
Merc currently offers its systems only on the Actros range.Telligent Lane Assist uses a digital camera in the cab to monitor road markings, while Telligent Proximity Control is an adaptive cruise control system that regulates vehicle speed according to traffic conditions via an on-board radar.
Volvo's integration of electronics in the development of its FH16 heavy truck means it too offers a host of electronic driver aids. including its own adaptive cruise control, traction control and electronic stability programmes. In addition, Daf has just introduced a version of ESP for twoaxle tractors in the CF75,CF85 and XF95 series, which it calls VSC (vehicle stability control).