Aiming to provide more support to truck drivers, Mercedes-Benz carries out R&D studies worth hundreds of millions of Euros every year to improve its trucks and increase the safety of all road users.
Among the newest examples of R&D studies; Active Side View Assistant with automatic braking function and Active Driving Assistant 2 with automatic emergency braking function.
The new Active Side View Assistant with automatic brake function not only warns the truck driver when it detects a dangerous situation; it also initiates an automatic braking application to stop the vehicle.
Active Driving Assistant 1851, which is offered as standard in the Actros 2 Plus package, has a braking function that can automatically stop the vehicle completely in an emergency.
Always at the forefront of the industry when it comes to vehicle safety, Mercedes-Benz continues its efforts to make driving in trucks safer. Company; Every year, it invests hundreds of millions of Euros in R&D studies for assistive driving systems, which it aims to provide more support to truck drivers and increase the safety of all road users. Among the most recent examples of related R&D studies; Active Side View Assistant with automatic braking function and Active Driving Assistant 2 with automatic emergency braking function.
Turn Assistant has been on the market since 2016
Driving a heavy-duty truck in city traffic, being on narrow roads or at complex intersections is also a big challenge for many professional truck drivers. This is especially true for turning manoeuvres. Truck drivers; at traffic lights, signs, oncoming and crossing traffic; moreover, they need to pay attention to pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, heavy trucks with large wheelbases or trailers often turn in a way that is not easily understood by other traffic stakeholders. These trucks drive directly towards the intersection to take the appropriate distance for the length of the semi-trailer or trailer before turning. Therefore, in some cases, a cyclist or pedestrian passing by the front passenger may assume that the truck is going straight ahead, not making a turn.
The Turn Assist (S2016R) system, which has been offered as an option in many Actros, Arocs and Econic models since 1, can effectively intervene in these situations.
New Active Side View Assistant with different functions that can save lives
As of June 1, the Turning Assistant (S2021R) has started to be replaced by the new Turning Assistant (S1X) system, which has different functions that can save lives under certain conditions in Actros and Arocs models. Active Side View Assist not only warns the truck driver of pedestrians or cyclists moving on the co-driver's side; it also applies automatic braking at turning speeds of up to 20 km/h and stops the vehicle when the driver does not take action despite the warning sounds. Active Side View Assist, which detects the need for intervention from the steering angle, prevents any collision under ideal conditions. The vehicles thus contribute to a further reduction in fatalities from serious injuries and accidents when turning.
New: Active Driving Assistant 2 with emergency braking function
Active Driving Assistant – ADA, which stands out in terms of safety, has a special importance as the system that enables the new Actros to become the world's first semi-autonomous (SAE level 2018) mass production truck in 2. Active Driving Assistant, which helps the truck driver under certain conditions with the vertical and horizontal orientation of the truck, can also automatically maintain the distance with the vehicle in front. The system, which can accelerate the truck, can also steer when necessary system conditions are met, such as sufficient turning angle or clearly visible lane lines. In the event that the driver approaches the vehicle in front of him dangerously, Active Driving Assistant can automatically brake the truck until the predetermined minimum distance is restored, and then accelerate the truck again according to its previous speed.
Available from June 2021 and with even more functions, the latest generation of Active Driving Assistant 2 can initiate an emergency braking if it detects that the truck driver has not been actively driving for a long time (for example, due to health problems). The system first requests the driver to put their hands on the steering wheel with visual and audible signals. However, even after 60 seconds and multiple warnings; If the driver does not react by braking, steering, accelerating or steering the vehicle through the buttons on the steering wheel, it warns other vehicles through the hazard warning flashers. The system can also brake until the truck comes to a safe stop within the lane. The emergency braking maneuver initiated by the system can be stopped at any point with the kick-down function. If the truck comes to a stop, the system automatically engages the new electronic parking brake. In addition, doors are automatically unlocked to help paramedics and other first responders reach the truck driver directly.
Emergency brake assist for motorways and city traffic: Active Brake Assist 5
Active Brake Assist 5 – The ABA 5's emergency braking function differs from the Active Side View Assist's automatic braking intervention and the Active Side View Assist 2's automatic emergency stop. ABA 5 works with the combination of radar and camera systems. Compared to ABA 4, it is not only with partial braking to pedestrians in motion; it can also react by initiating an automatic full stop braking maneuver at speeds up to 50 km/h.
ABA 5; It can give a visual or audible warning to the driver in advance when it detects that there is a danger of an accident with a vehicle driving in front of it, a fixed obstacle, an oncoming, crossing, pedestrian walking in its own lane or stopping suddenly with shock. If the driver does not respond, the system can initiate a partial braking maneuver with a speed reduction of up to 3m/s² in the second stage. This corresponds to approximately 50 percent of the maximum braking performance. However, if the collision seems inevitable; It can initiate an automatic emergency full braking maneuver within system limits and activate the new electronic parking brake after the vehicle has stopped.
Noting that all assistance systems are designed to support the driver as much as possible within certain limits, Mercedes-Benz underlines that the driver is fully and ultimately responsible for his vehicle within the framework of the law.
The positive effect of these auxiliary systems, which can actively support the truck driver in situations he perceives as dangerous, on road safety has also been proven in a field test carried out with more than 2008 vehicles between 2012 and 1000. The field test showed that trucks with driver assistance systems are up to 34 percent less likely to be involved in an accident than reference vehicles of the same type.
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