News Release
For more information, contact:
Barbara Gould or Kimberly Pupillo
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC Marcus Thomas LLC
(440) 329-9609 (888) 482-4455
barbara.gould@bendix.com kpupillo@marcusthomasllc.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MATS 2009 Booth No. 32435
BENDIX LAUNCHES WINGMAN™ ACB – ACTIVE CRUISE WITH BRAKING –
INNOVATIVE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL FOR COMMERICAL VEHICLES
Bendix® Wingman™ ACB is the Next Step in the Bendix Safety Technology Roadmap
ELYRIA, Ohio – March 18, 2009 – Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, the North American leader in the development and manufacture of leading-edge active safety and braking system technologies, is making adaptive cruise control with braking a reality with the introduction of Bendix® Wingman™ ACB − Active Cruise with Braking. Bendix Wingman ACB is an innovative technology that delivers warnings and proactive interventions to help drivers avoid collisions – and data to help with fleet operations and driver training.
Using a radar sensor mounted to the front of the vehicle – and building on Bendix® ESP® full stability technology – the system assists the driver to maintain a set following distance between their truck and the forward vehicle.
With cruise control on and speed set, Bendix ACB will warn and provide active interventions – reducing throttle, engaging the engine retarder and, if necessary, automatically applying the foundation brakes to help the driver maintain the intended following distance. When cruise control is not engaged, the driver still gets the benefit of following distance alerts to let them know if they are getting too close to the forward vehicle. This can be especially helpful during those conditions when cruise control should not be used, such as inclement weather and heavy traffic. Plus, the inclusion of Bendix ESP full stability technology helps drivers mitigate rollover and loss-of-control situations on dry, wet, snow and ice-covered roadways.
“It’s all about helping fleets avoid crashes,” said Joe McAleese, Bendix president and CEO. “Bendix is building on its commitment to delivering strong, cost effective, active safety solutions that have a real impact for fleets – from the cost, revenue, profit and safety performance perspectives. As we work to address the modern safety needs of commercial vehicles, their drivers, and the motorists with whom they share the roadways, we will continue our leadership role in active safety innovations.”
Integration into the Vehicle and Dash
The Bendix® Wingman™ ACB − Active Cruise with Braking system was designed to deliver driver-friendly adaptive cruise control technology with full vehicle and braking system integration. Information, warnings, and operation of the Bendix Wingman ACB system is incorporated into the vehicle dash – in direct view of the driver. Drivers activate the system using the existing cruise control switches in the vehicle, and receive information and warnings through the vehicle dash – no extra distracting displays to look for when a warning sounds.
Following distance can be customized by the fleet using Bendix® ACom™ diagnostic software (version 6.3 or higher). Based on those fleet-specific settings, the system’s audio and visual warnings alert drivers as the truck closes in on the forward vehicle. Because the system’s alerts can be so valuable to driver behavior and decision making, they’re delivered even when the vehicle is not in cruise control, which is often the case for inter-city driving and during inclement weather.
“We developed Bendix ACB with the driver in mind,” said TJ Thomas, product manager – driver assistance systems for Bendix. “Active safety technologies are more effective if they are accepted and perceived as helpful by drivers when on-the-road. With the launch of Bendix Wingman ACB, we believe we have achieved that objective.”
Leveraging Full-Stability Technology
Bendix believes full-stability is a critical foundation for all active safety technologies. That’s why Bendix Wingman ACB is built on full-stability technology – the Bendix® ESP® Electronic Stability Program. Because automatic brake application – a key feature of active cruise with braking – brings the potential for instability, full-stability technology is integral to the safe operation of vehicles with active braking capabilities.
Automatic brake applications on wet, snowy, or ice-covered surfaces can result in directional instability – slide-out or over-steer events that can lead to a jackknife or loss-of-control situation. By including full-stability, with its capabilities for reading driver steering intent and vehicle direction, the potential instability instigated by the automatic application of the brakes can be mitigated. Bendix ESP is the leading full-stability technology for commercial vehicles.
“As active safety systems that automatically apply brakes increase, they will be built on a foundation of full stability,” said Fred Andersky, marketing director for the Bendix controls product business team. ”Why? Because roll-only systems don’t possess all the sensors and braking capability needed to interpret conditions and respond appropriately – and may increase instability of the vehicle during automatic braking events on slick surfaces. Therefore, full-stability is a critical part of systems that include an active braking component.”
According to Andersky, the combination of active cruise with braking and full stability positions the Bendix approach as the one approach that will do more to help fleets avoid more types of accidents – collisions, rollovers, and loss-of-control – than any other system marketed today.
Fleet Data – A Key Feature of Bendix® Wingman™ ACB
Today’s fleets look to active safety technologies not only for performance in the field, but for information from the system to help in their fleet operations and driver training efforts. The Bendix® Wingman™ ACB − Active Cruise with Braking system delivers data that fleets can use to help improve driver performance by targeting specific driver needs for training. Insights, such as following distance, use of cruise control and even stability events are available from the system through easy download using Bendix® ACom™ diagnostic software (Version 6.3 or later).
“In a nutshell, the information, intelligence, intervention, and insight delivered by Bendix ACB provides real value to the fleet,” Andersky continued. “The active interventions of both the Bendix Wingman ACB and Bendix® ESP® systems can help fleets reduce collisions, loss of control and rollover events. Plus, the insight delivered from the system provides data on driver performance – all helping to improve safety at the fleet. “
Safety That Delivers a Positive ROI
Drivers who tested the Bendix Wingman ACB system told Bendix they believed the technology would be especially useful in helping keep them alert toward the end of a shift by reducing repetitive motion. More alert drivers can be safer drivers.
Delivering an ROI and quick payback on any system is important anytime, but takes on even greater significance in the current economic climate. Besides potentially reducing accident related costs, early tests indicate that Wingman ACB may have an additional benefit for fleets: improved fuel economy. Enabling drivers to stay in cruise for longer periods of time usually results in better fuel economy for the fleet. Plus, the active interventions of the system may help reduce collision related costs. Potential accident reduction and improved fuel economy can, in turn, mean a quick payback and significant ROI for many fleets.
Good Drivers Still Required
The importance of good drivers is still critical to a fleet’s entire safety equation and should not be underestimated with the advent of active safety technologies like Bendix® ESP® and Bendix® Wingman™ ACB. “Active safety technologies do not replace the need for good drivers and good driving practices,” notes Andersky. “Safety of the vehicle is still the ultimate responsibility of the driver. But giving the driver every opportunity to be safer is the ultimate responsibility of the fleet. Bendix is proud to provide technologies that can help fleets help their drivers maintain safety for all of us on the roadway.”
Bendix Wingman ACB - Available To Order Today
Bendix Wingman ACB – Active Cruise with Braking is available for fleets to order today, with vehicle delivery in early July, 2009. “It’s important for us – and for the OEMs launching Bendix ACB – that after announcing its availability, the OEMs can then promptly deliver trucks equipped with the technology to their fleets. There can be no gaps,“ said Kevin Romanchok, electronics product line director at Bendix. “Too often, exciting, valuable technology gets announced and then fleets have to wait. By minimizing delays between the product introduction to the market and the actual product availability, fleets can realize the benefits of the technology sooner.” Additional information regarding OEM availability, including product ordering codes, will be available at www.bendix.com and at the Bendix booth (32435) at the 2009 Mid-America Truck Show.
About Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, a member of the Knorr-Bremse Group, develops and supplies leading-edge active safety technologies, air brake charging, and control systems and components under the Bendix® brand name for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, tractors, trailers, buses, and other commercial vehicles throughout North America. An industry pioneer, employing more than 2,200 people, Bendix is driven to deliver solutions for improved vehicle performance, safety, and overall operating cost. Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems is headquartered in Elyria, Ohio, with manufacturing plants in Acuña, Mexico; Bowling Green, Ky.; Huntington, Ind.; and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. For more information, call 1-800-AIR-BRAKE (1-800-247-2725) or visit www.bendix.com.
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