Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/778830
February 2017 | Overdrive | 39 to avoid a collision, they can have the option to swerve and avoid the crash if the lane next to them is clear." If needed, the ESC system will inter- vene automatically to help mitigate a potential rollover. Wabco's joint development program with ZF on Evasive Maneuver Assist is an example of how separate systems work hand-in-hand. The system helps evade a stationary vehicle ahead, while ESC helps prevent a rollover during the evasive maneuver, says Jon Morrison, president of Wabco Americas. While Bendix's collision mitigation sys- tems are integrated with the company's Electronic Stability Program full-stability system, both perform separate functions. The collision mitigation technology combines adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking, which helps the driver avoid collisions by auto- matically cutting throttle and applying the brakes when the system determines a collision is imminent. Before applying the brakes, the system alerts the driver when the system deter- mines the following distance is too close or a collision is imminent with a moving vehicle (or with Wingman Fusion, a stationary one). Wabco's OnGuardActive collision mit- igation system uses a 77GHz radar-only unit with a reach of up to 650 feet. The system performs active braking on mov- ing, stopping and stationary vehicles and supports the driver with forward collision warning. OnGuardActive offers Adaptive Cruise Control as an optional feature and uses dual-mode radar that addresses both long-range and adjacent-lane views. It comes with continuous automatic radar alignment. Dashcams can be integrated with collision mitigation systems. This Lytx DriveCam platform's event recorder captures video of key events. Lane departure warning systems Electronic stability control Forward collision warning Blind spot detection systems 36% 49% 41% 24% 11% 31% 15% 4% Tomorrow's safety technology Average penetration of advanced safety technologies in large fleets and predicted penetration over five years 2015 2020 Driving habits will remain the key factor in truck safety, experts say, though automated safety systems can play an important complementary role. "The industry has a long history of providing driver assist systems that improve driver, vehicle and road safety," says Jon Morrison, president of Wabco Americas. "It's also important to note that computers never have a bad day, get tired or distracted, and that the driver remains in ultimate control of the vehicle." The history of safety technologies has shown systems actually can encourage improper behavior, says Del Lisk, vice president of safety services for Lytx, a provider of in-cab camera safety systems and analytics. "We've seen the unintended hazards of automated technology – when drivers begin to rely on the technology to do the job of driving, and they mentally check out," he says. "Technology has limits, and keeping the driver engaged to compensate for those limits is going to be critical for the success of collision mitigation systems and other forms of automated technology." The driver is "the most sophisticat- ed technology in the cab," Lisk says. "Humans make decisions weighing myriad variables – wet load, dry load, full load, partial load, weather condi- tions, surrounding traffic and so on – in a split-second." Pete Allen, executive vice presi- dent of sales for MiX Telematics North America, says a computer's algorithms, while sophisticated, may have difficulty making judgment calls in certain types of crashes. "I believe there are probably 'edge cases' where the driver's judgment will still play a role," he says. "What if there is going to be a crash, and there is a choice to hit a wall on the right or a pedestrian in the street?" Drivers should understand that safety technologies aren't a safety net that enables aggressive driving, says Fred Andersky of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems. "Technology today, and for the foreseeable future, will not replace the need for safe drivers, safe driving habits and comprehensive driver training," he says. "As a Class A CDL holder, I like the fact that I have something backing me up just in case." SAFETY SYSTEMS AND THE DRIVER'S ROLE Among advanced driver assistance technologies, electronic stability control has been the most popular system and is expected to remain so. However, adoption of other technologies is expected to increase rapidly, based on the response of fleet executives in a 2015 study by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.