Peterbilt Motors Co. recently announced production availability of Bendix Wingman ACB – Active Cruise with Braking as an option for its heavy-duty truck models. Peterbilt is the latest OEM to make available the technology by Bendix, a provider of active safety and braking system technologies for commercial vehicles.
Bendix Wingman ACB is designed to deliver driver-friendly forward-collision warning and mitigation using full vehicle and braking system integration. The technology is designed to deliver warnings and proactive interventions to help drivers avoid collisions. In July, Bendix Wingman ACB became available for immediate order on a range of Peterbilt models, with delivery beginning in the fourth quarter of 2010.
“Peterbilt is committed to highway safety, and our choice of Bendix Wingman ACB demonstrates that commitment,” says Landon Sproull, Peterbilt chief engineer. “Peterbilt customers expect the best in performance and quality. We can trust Bendix to help us deliver it.”
Using a radar sensor mounted to the front of the vehicle, the system is designed to assist the driver to maintain a set following distance between the truck and the forward vehicle. With cruise control on and speed set, Wingman ACB is designed to 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.
Bendix says that when cruise control is not engaged, the driver still receives the benefit of following distance alerts to let him/her know if he/she is getting too close to the forward vehicle, which can be especially helpful during those conditions when cruise control should not be used, such as inclement weather and heavy traffic.
“Bendix is thrilled to be partnering with Peterbilt to deliver this exciting safety technology to their customers,” says Fred Andersky, Bendix director of marketing – Controls. “It’s another milestone for Bendix in helping to keep our roadways safer and fleet operating margins strong.”
Bendix Wingman ACB is built upon the Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program, full stability technology that helps drivers mitigate rollover and loss-of-control situations on dry, wet and snow- and ice-covered roadways. Wingman ACB includes “always on” driver warnings and stationary object alerts, and also is upgradable for future advancements such as automatic emergency braking interventions, which help drivers mitigate collisions when cruise control is not on and set.
