Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, June 1, 2023:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation after a series of complaints involving the automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems on Freightliner Cascadia and Western Star 5700 trucks.
According to NHTSA documents, the AEB system on the trucks “may inaccurately identify an object and command the vehicle to stop unexpectedly, resulting in a hazard to other motorists.” There have been 18 complaints filed to the agency, resulting in NHTSA launching a preliminary evaluation.
The investigation includes an estimated 250,000 Daimler trucks equipped with AEB systems. Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) said in a statement that it is “fully committed to the development of life saving technologies such as Automatic Emergency Braking that have the potential to greatly improve roadway safety.”
The company added that it shares the same mission as NHTSA “to reduce fatal crashes and serious injuries, and looks forward to continued collaboration with the agency to review AEB technology and the upcoming regulation and test procedures that are being developed for the industry by NHTSA.”
NHTSA said in its investigation documents that the 18 complaints allege errors in the AEB system on model year 2017-'22 Freightliner Cascadia and Western Star 5700 trucks produced by DTNA.
“Drivers report activation of the AEB without an actual roadway obstacle, also known as a false positive event,” NHTSA said. “The reports indicate the subject vehicle will apply the service brakes without warning or input from the driver. The applications range from momentary, partial application with little loss of speed to full application, which brings the vehicle to a complete stop in the travel lane.”
