Getting familiar with new collision mitigation technologies can be challenging.
To help fleets get a better understanding of a growing list of devices designed to improve commercial vehicle safety, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently launched Tech-Celerate Now.
ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council announced today in Atlanta that they will support the program which seeks to promote FMCSA goals of accelerating the adoption of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
“TMC will support the U.S. DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Tech-Celerate Now Program by developing recommended practices, videos and other technical materials that support the implementation of ADAS technologies in commercial vehicle fleets,” said TMC Executive Director Robert Braswell. “We are very pleased to join this industry coalition to help improve vehicle safety and equipment operation and maintenance.”
Tech-Celerate Now is part of a new government-industry initiative led by the FMCSA to accelerate ADAS adoption. It’s the first program of its kind bringing together government agencies and trucking industry organizations, including TMC, ATA, the American Transportation Research Institute and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
“We became the best salesmen because we’re going to be educating fleets towards all these technologies,” said Ross Froat, director of engineering & information technology at American Trucking Associations. “All this information that we gather, that we research, that we develop these products with will be on the website. The website will be used as a resource, as a single, commercial, neutral zone for fleets to go and learn more about these technologies. And also it will be an area to link them to what providers are out there and where they’re at and how they can get involved if they chose to go that way.”
As part of its first organizational meeting tomorrow at TMC’s meeting in Atlanta, industry stakeholders will begin plans to develop technical materials and outreach programs aimed at educating trucking industry professionals on the merits of early adoption of ADAS technologies.
Tech-Celerate Now is focused on specific ADAS technology performance categories including monitoring, warning, braking and steering systems. Among other key tasks, the cooperative will work together to determine appropriate levels of ADAS deployment, serve as a resource on available ADAS technology, and provide technical information and video content. The program also aims to get work truck and van fleets motivated in learning more about the latest collision mitigation technologies. For more information and to get involved, visit tech-celeratenow.org.
