Meritor WABCO enhances OnGuard platform (with video)

[ click to enlarge + ]NHTSA estimates collisions with stationary objects represent 20 percent of all heavy truck crashes, and more than 30 percent of the fatalities. Meritor WABCO estimates the stationary functionality of OnGuardACTIVE could eliminate up to 4,500 crashes, 3,500 deaths or injuries and save more than $2 billion in costs associated with accidents annually.

With OnGuardACTIVE, Meritor WABCO turns the collision avoidance capabilities of its OnGuard platform toward stationary objects using a sophisticated radar, which the company says is active and accurate regardless of visibility conditions.

Among the key features of OnGuardACTIVE, aside from full-braking capabilities on stationary or moving vehicles, are a forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control and extended brake assist.

“Extended brake assist is when system notices the closing rate needs more brake pressure than driver has applied,” says Mark Melletat, Meritor WABCO’s director of trailer systems and field operations.

When a potential impact is detected, OnGuardACTIVE has the ability to provide audible, visual and haptic warnings, automatically reduce engine torque and apply the foundation brakes to help avoid or mitigate a collision.

Melletat says the intention of stationary object braking is to slow the vehicle and lessen the impact, but in some cases a full stop before impact is possible.

OnGuardACTIVE’s radar can see that there is an object in the path of the truck even though the driver cannot see it.

“This is collision mitigation not elimination,” he says. “[But] in some cases, the vehicle may stop depending on speed.”

Stationary Object Braking applies 50 percent of the truck’s full braking capability and functions at speeds in excess of 15MPH. The system will disengage itself when the driver takes the appropriate action.

Adaptive Cruise with Active Braking provides adaptive cruise for both deceleration and
automatic resume. It assists the driver in maintaining 3.6 second following distance and provides sequential deceleration activation, torque reduction, retarder control, foundation braking and a maximum deceleration of 35 percent of full braking when triggered.

OnGuardACTIVE uses a long range, high precision forward looking radar with dual mode technology to detect objects in a vehicle’s path and at distances up to 650 feet away. The dual beam radar uses far-range and near-range (slightly less than 200 feet) detection to expand the total area of radar coverage.

OnGuardACTIVE will replace Meritor WABCO’s current OnGuard system. Melletat says the new system, which is expected to be available January 2016, uses current hardware and current users only need a software change. It is compatible with ABS (ESC & RSC) and backward compatible with 2013 and newer radar systems.