Mercedes-Benz Safety Truck with Active Protection

Responsibility for road safety lies at the political level, Renschler adds. Among the possibilities are incentives, such as reduced insurance premiums, discounts in tolls, or also direct investment aids for the transport companies, such as from the truck toll. The commercial vehicle manufacturers have taken the initiative and have already incurred costs: The safety technologies have been developed and are being offered at low package prices, with a discount of up to a third — as in the case of the safety package for Mercedes-Benz trucks. Renschler continued: “We expect these technologies to lead to a reduction of over 50% in the severity of the consequences of accidents.” At the end of July, DaimlerChrysler will present detailed data from an integrated field test.

Brake Assist, cruise control and hill-holder as standard in many markets

The current-generation Mercedes-Benz Actros offers an even greater safety potential. Depending on the market, the braking system also includes the Brake Assist (BAS) function as standard. It recognises the driver’s emergency braking intention from the speed with which the brake pedal is operated, and instantly builds up the full brake pressure available. The Telligent braking system also includes acceleration skid control and a hill-holder which enables the driver to move off safely on a gradient, without the vehicle rolling back as he changes from the brake pedal to the accelerator. In addition, the standard drive and braking cruise control keeps the vehicle speed constant both on the level and on downhill gradients, the latter being a particularly important safety feature.

The optional retarder as an auxiliary brake significantly improves braking performance compared to the standard engine brake. The system is wear-free, which increases safety, reduces wear on the brake linings and therefore minimises downtimes. The optional electronic level control system ECAS reliably keeps the Actros horizontal under any load conditions.

Good visibility as a safety feature

Good visibility is a major factor in accident prevention. With their large field of view, the exterior mirrors of the Actros already meet the future ECE regulation 46/02. Clear-lens headlamps with free-form reflectors provide optimal illumination of the road surface. On request, Actros models with air suspension are available with xenon headlamps for a further significant improvement in road illumination. The accompanying headlamp cleaning system improves safety even further.

Visibility is improved for other road users by the spray guards in the wheel arches, which effectively prevent clouds of spray on wet roads. The optional daytime driving lights are already mandatory in many European countries, at least during the darker months of the year. These help other road users to see the truck under unfavourable lighting conditions, e.g. when the sun is low or when driving along tree-lined avenues.

Driver-fitness safety thanks to a well-designed cab

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