Volvo Trucks’ latest active safety technologies – Volvo Enhanced Cruise with Active Braking and a Lane Departure/Driver Alertness Warning System – augment driver safety through advanced sensory technologies that monitor road conditions and driver behavior.
Volvo Enhanced Cruise (VEC) with Active Braking offers full-time active braking and will be offered on all new Volvo VN series highway tractors ordered with VEC. Until now, trucks equipped with VEC provided active braking only when the vehicle’s cruise system was engaged.
VEC with Active Braking utilizes a radar sensor, inset behind the front bumper, to help maintain a safe following distance from slowing vehicles and identifies stationary objects in the truck’s path. The active braking system is designed to provide full-time object detection and integrated visual feedback on the instrument panel and driver information display, audible warnings and braking intervention to help reduce the potential or severity of a crash. If braking intervention becomes necessary, the system will reduce the engine throttle, apply the engine brake and, when needed, apply up to two-thirds the brake power.
“Active Braking provides valuable situational information and helps professional drivers take preventive measures to avoid hazards,” says Frank Bio, Volvo Trucks product manager – trucks. “Volvo’s integrated approach to active safety technologies provides the unique advantage of being able to set the warning hierarchy and present the most important warning or warnings to the driver.”
Volvo Trucks also is offering a Lane Departure/Driver Alertness Warning System designed to provide audible and visual alerts during unintentional deviation from the driving lane or drowsy driver characteristics. The system combines a windshield-mounted camera, vision software, processor and power supply into a compact unit integrated with the warning hierarchy established on all Volvo vehicles.
Since 2005, Volvo Trucks has offered Volvo Enhanced Stability Technology as standard equipment on all VN series highway tractors and as an available option on VHD vocational trucks. The full electronic stability program assists the driver in maintaining control during emergency maneuvers and braking events, helping reduce the likelihood of a rollover, jackknife or loss of control.
