Mercedes-Benz has launched two new features to further improve the safety level of its trucks. As of June 2021, "Active Side View Assistant" with an automatic braking function that ensures the safety of unprotected traffic stakeholders during turning maneuvers will be offered on most Mercedes-Benz Actros and Arocs models. Also starting from June 2021, "Active Driving Assistant 2" with a brake function will be activated in most Actros models to automatically stop the vehicle in an emergency.
Mercedes-Benz continues to maintain its pioneering position in the sector in increasing vehicle safety. The brand has invested hundreds of millions of euros in research and development over the years to further protect drivers with assistance systems and increase the safety of all stakeholders in traffic. Active Side View Assistant with automatic braking function and Active Driving Assistant 2 with automatic emergency braking, which will be activated as of June 2021, are the most up-to-date examples of the safety features offered by Mercedes-Benz.
One of the most sensitive issues for Mercedes-Benz is to take measures to prevent accidents and to minimize the possible consequences for everyone involved. While supporting the driver actively in critical situations determined by the system, the auxiliary systems, which maintain the driver's responsibilities regarding driving, play a very important role in establishing driving safety. Years ago, field tests with over 1,000 vehicles showed that trucks equipped with driving assistance systems were 34 percent less likely to crash than similar reference vehicles.
With systems such as the fifth generation Active Brake Assist (ABA 5), Side View Assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, Active Driving Assist (Level 2) for semi-autonomous driving and MirrorCam replacing the wide-angle mirror, the safety level of Mercedes-Benz trucks has been increased and the company pioneering position continues to be maintained. This also applies to the next generation Actros and most Arocs models, which offer the highest standard of current Mercedes-Benz truck models in terms of safety architecture and support systems.
Active Side View Assist with new Auto Brake Function
Driving heavy and large trucks in city traffic full of narrow streets or blind intersections makes life difficult for even most professional drivers. Especially when it comes to turning maneuvers, the driver needs to keep an eye on traffic lights and signs on the one hand and also on pedestrians and cyclists on the other hand.
The main problem is that unprotected traffic stakeholders, such as pedestrians and cyclists, are unaware of the fact that a truck driver has never seen them in most cases. Another problem is; other stakeholders in the traffic have difficulty perceiving the angle that a truck or trailer with a long wheelbase will create in the turning maneuver. The truck driver, taking into account the angle of the trailer or trailer, has to go straight for a while to enter the intersection and turn at the last point before turning. In such a situation, he cannot detect the turning maneuver of a pedestrian or a bicycle truck crossing the road and thinks it will go straight.
Active Brake Intervention Comes As Another Life-Saving Feature
At this point, Side View Assistant, which has been standard on many models in the Actros, Arocs or Econic series since 2016 and developed by Mercedes-Benz, comes into play as an important safety aid. Side View Assist warns the driver when a cyclist or a pedestrian is in the risk zone by the system while turning right.
In addition to the Side View Assist feature, Mercedes-Benz is starting to offer another life-saving feature with Active Side View Assist (ASGA) starting in June 2021. The new system not only warns the driver against cyclists or pedestrians on the passenger side, as the side view assistant does, but also automatically brakes to stop the vehicle at turning speeds of up to 20 km / h if the driver does not react to the warnings. Active Side View Assist uses the steering angle to detect the need for brake intervention and prevent a potential collision. This makes Mercedes-Benz the world's first truck manufacturer to offer such a system with active braking function and help reduce the number of serious injuries and even fatal accidents when turning right.
New Active Driving Assistant 2 with Emergency Braking
The new Active Driving Assistant (ADA) takes driving safety one step further. Thanks to this feature, the new Actros stands out as the world's first production truck that enables Level 2 autonomous driving. The system actively supports the driver in vertical and lateral movements of the vehicle under certain conditions. Provided the necessary system requirements such as sufficient turning radius or clearly visible lane markings are met, the system can automatically keep distance, accelerate and steer. If the driver gets too close to the vehicle in front, Active Driving Assistant brakes automatically to maintain the set distance. As the distance to the vehicle in front is increased, the system increases the speed of the vehicle again up to the determined speed.
Active Driving Assistant 2, which will be commissioned as of June 2021, can do much more. If the system detects that the driver is no longer involved in the driving process, for example due to health problems, it applies an emergency brake. The system primarily asks the driver to put their hands on the steering wheel visually and audibly. Despite repeated warnings, within 60 seconds, the driver; If there is no response to steering, acceleration and using some systems via the brake or steering wheel buttons, the truck brakes safely within the system boundaries and comes to a stop and warns the vehicles coming from behind by turning on the hazard lights. The driver can terminate the system-initiated brake maneuver by pressing the accelerator pedal. With the truck stopping, the system can automatically activate the new electric hand brake. In addition, the doors are unlocked so that paramedics or other assistants can reach the driver due to a medical emergency.
Emergency Brake Assist with Active Brake Assist 5 in Highway and City
One should not confuse the automatic brake intervention of Active Side View Assistant or the automatic emergency brake of Active Driving Assistant 2 with the emergency braking function of Active Brake Assistant 5. The fifth level Active Brake Assist (ABA 5) combines radar and camera systems, and compared to ABA 4, it not only reacts partially to people in motion, but is also capable of automatic emergency braking at speeds up to 50 km / h.
Active Brake Assist (ABA 5) first alerts the driver visually and audibly when it detects a vehicle in front, a stationary obstacle, a crossing, on the way, walking on a lane or suddenly standing on the lane. If the driver does not react, the system can switch to the second stage and initiate 3 m / s2 braking, which constitutes approximately 50 percent of the maximum brake power. If the risk of collision continues, the ABA 5 applies automatic braking within system limits and activates the new electronic parking brake when the vehicle stops.
All auxiliary systems offered by Mercedes-Benz are always designed to support the driver as much as possible within the system limits. However, as stipulated by the law, the control and supervision of the vehicle and the entire responsibility of the truck belongs to the driver.
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