In terms of improving vehicle safety, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has always been a pioneer in the industry. The company invests millions of euros in research and development each year for auxiliary systems to provide greater assistance to drivers and improve safety.
The company’s recent examples include Active Sideguard Assist with automatic braking and Active Drive Assist 2 with automatic emergency stop, which the company launched to the world last fall. Immediately, customers from 24 EU countries and certain non-EU markets can order new safety assistance systems for many Mercedes-Benz trucks that can use these systems. Production will start in June 2021.
Sometimes narrow roads and confusing intersections are a challenge for many professional drivers. This applies especially to steering actions. Drivers need to pay attention to traffic lights, signs, and oncoming cross-traffic ahead, and pedestrians and cyclists from the side.
The problem is: Participants with vulnerable traffic often don't know that truck drivers may not even see them under certain circumstances. In addition, heavy trucks with large wheelbases or trailers are often closed in a way that other traffic participants cannot easily understand: before turning, the truck first drives directly into the intersection to preserve the traction characteristics of a semi-trailer. Or the trailer. Therefore, the cyclist or crosswalk on the co-driver's side of the truck sometimes does not even think that the truck will stall, but that it will continue to go straight.
In this case, the Sideguard Assist (S1R) developed by Mercedes-Benz Trucks can be shipped from 2016, suitable for many Actros, Arocs and Econic models, and can intervene. If the system recognizes, for example, pedestrians or cyclists in the surveillance area on the passenger side, Sideguard Assist can warn the driver through a multi-stage process when turning right.
Starting in June 2021, the new Active Sideguard Assist (S1X) will replace Sideguard Assist (S1R) on most Actros and Arocs models. The latter has further features that can save lives in some cases: Active Sideguard Assist (ASGA), this product will be available in the production month of June. It can not only warn the driver that pedestrians or cyclists are by the co-driver's side, but it can also activate automatic braking at a turning speed of up to 20 km/h Operate to stop the vehicle when it is stopped. The driver does not respond to the warning sound. Active Sideguard Assist recognizes the necessity of intervention from the angle of the steering wheel and ideally prevents any collisions. Mercedes-Benz Trucks is the world's first truck manufacturer to provide a system with an active braking function, thus contributing to further reducing the number of serious injuries and even deaths caused by accidents when vehicles are turning.
The Active Driver Assistance System (ADA) also represents a step forward in terms of safety this is the system that made the new Actros the world's first series of trucks (SAE Level 2) capable of partially autonomous driving in 2018. Under certain prerequisites, it will actively support the driver in the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the truck, and can automatically maintain the distance to the vehicle in front, and meet the necessary system conditions (such as sufficient corner radius or clearly visible Accelerate and turn in the case of road markings). If the driver is too close to the vehicle in front, ADA can automatically brake the truck until the predetermined minimum distance is re-determined. In this case, the system can re-accelerate the truck to a predetermined speed.
If the system recognizes that the driver has not actively participated in the driving process for a long time, the system can initiate an emergency stop. First, the system requests the driver to place his or her hand on the steering wheel through visual and auditory signals. However, if he or she still does not respond after 60 seconds, even after multiple warnings, unable to brake, steer, accelerate or operate the vehicle system through the buttons on the steering wheel, the system can brake within its limits, Until the truck arrives safely and parked in the lane, and at the same time use hazard lights to warn the following vehicles. The emergency stop operation initiated by the system can be stopped at any time by a forced downshift. If the truck stops, the system can automatically engage the new electronic parking brake. In addition, the door is unlocked, so in a medical emergency, medical staff and other first responders can reach the driver directly.
The automatic braking intervention function of Active Sideguard Assist and the automatic emergency stop function of Active Drive Assist 2 should not be confused with the emergency braking function of Active Brake Assist 5. ABA 5 is used in conjunction with radar and camera systems. Compared with ABA 4, it can not only partially respond to moving people, but also can operate through automatic full station braking when the vehicle speed reaches 50 km/h.
If ABA 5 recognizes the danger of an accident caused by a preceding vehicle, a stationary obstacle or a pedestrian walking in its own lane, abruptly stopping or stopping suddenly, it can first issue a visual or audible warning to the driver. If the driver does not respond adequately, the system can initiate a partial braking operation in the second step, with a speed reduction of up to three meters per second, which is equivalent to approximately 3 meters. 50% of maximum braking performance. If there is still a collision, ABA 5 can perform an automatic emergency full stop braking operation within the system limits and then engage the new electronic parking brake after reaching the stopped state.
The hat assist system can provide active support to the driver when the system is deemed critical, thereby having a positive impact on road safety. This is proven by the field tests conducted by the German Federal Association for Freight Transport, Logistics and Waste Disposal, the Trade Association for the Transport Industry and the Kravag insurance company with more than 1000 vehicles Kravag Insurance Company have more than 1,000 vehicles: it shows that the accident probability of trucks equipped with driver assistance systems is 34% lower than other vehicles.