Saving lives name of the game with full-stability systems, says Bendix
Fred Andersky, Bendix marketing manager for electronics
The Trucker Staff
3/26/2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Accident mitigation for trailers, full stability as opposed to roll-only stability systems and adaptive cruise control are some of the safety technologies being planned for now and the near future for commercial vehicles, Bendix spokesmen said today just prior to the opening of the Mid-America Trucking Show here.
“As the industry becomes more interested in stability technology and begins to recognize the value it offers, we believe it’s important that industry participants fully understand their stability options,” said Fred Andersky, Bendix marketing manager for electronics.
Unlike roll-only systems, full stability systems tackle both roll and directional stability, such as the sliding of a vehicle that can be caused by stopping on icy or snowy roads. They not only instantly apply the brake pressure but also close the throttle to unsafe speeds. (New regulations were mandated for September of 2006 requiring electronic stability control for passenger cars, milti-purpose passenger vehicles, trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more.)
A white paper to be released in April will address the need for full-stability as a basis for new technologies, Andersky said. “Because upcoming technologies such as adaptive cruise control and lane departure systems will utilize automatic brake application, these systems have the potential to create instability, especially on slick surfaces.” Full-stability systems are able to recognize and act to prevent accidents in these types of situations, he said.
Bendix President and CEO Joe McAleese said two key themes are evolving in the industry: an appetite for safety technology and an appetite for energy management technology.
Noting the downturn in the economy and the price of fuel, he said that 2007 has been the hardest year in the 75-year history of Bendix.
Bendix spokesmen said the company is awaiting National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stopping distance mandates (proposed in December of 2005) that they’re hopeful will come out this September. The company supports a 30-percent reduction in the stopping-distance requirement for truck-tractors. If the proposed regs don't make it out by September, spokesmen said they fear the proposal will get lost in the political fray.
They also are anxiously watching the progress of HR 3820, a bill introduced in October of 2007 which would accelerate the production, sale and deployment of advanced safety technologies on commercial vehicles by giving tax incentives. The bill would provide a tax credit equal to 50 percent of the cost of any qualified commercial vehicle safety system placed in service during the tax year, up to $1,5000. A total tax credit of $3,500 per vehicle up to a maximum of $350,000 per taxable year would be allowed. Systems included are collisionwarning, lane departure, vehicle stability and brake stroke monitoring systems.
It’s hoped the incentives will make safety technology affordable and level the playing field in terms of costs, said Scott Burkhart, vice president and general manager for controls systems for Bendix.
Bendix and Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC “support the U.S. government’s continued efforts to improve highway safety,” Bendix spokesmen said, adding that they believe HR 3820 “is a strong and necessary step in making vehicle safety technologies even more affordable for today’s safety-conscious fleets.”
They said full-stability systems will be the foundation for future active-safety systems that react earlier and also deliver a higher level of roll stability on dry surfaces and mitigate loss of control and jackknife on wet and icy surfaces.