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PARTS OF THE WHOLE
Page 51
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Leaving trailers aside, there were also some great advances in trailer components. One that stuck out was Jost's KKS automatic coupling system.
It is designed to eliminate the risk of the fifth wheel coupling not being correctly coupled with the kingpin, which can lead to serious accidents. There are three sensors that monitor the system. The first provides information about the correct coupling height and automatically activates the system during coupling. The second sensor checks the kingpin's position, while the third monitors the locking status. Only once the sensors have given the system the allclear is the electric motor that operates the trailer's telescopic landing gear activated.
All functions can be controlled from the cab, even the uncoupling of the trailer. The landing gear can be automatically lowered, and the fifth wheel is opened via a pneumatic remote control.
Jost's thinking behind taking these jobs away from the driver is to decrease the likelihood of accidents occurring by having to manually couple and uncouple. A tractor fitted with the modular KKS system can be attached to a normal trailer and vice versa.
Swedish VBG Group was also displaying its system that allows the trailer to be connected directly from the cab. The so-called Multi Function Coupling system includes a coupling part with integrated drawbeam, a wedge-shaped drawbar head that fits the Optimal and Multi XF drawbars, a connector for the power and pneumatics, and a display for the dashboard. It is on here that the sensors mounted on the coupling show a graphic telling the driver his positioning in regards to the drawbar head.
The display guides the driver through the coupling and uncoupling process and gives information on whether a secure connection has been made, if a fault has occurred etc. The modular coupling system has been designed with the driver's safety in mind.