Continuing in its efforts to educate key stakeholders about the value and importance of advanced safety, fuel economy and environmental technologies for commercial vehicle operators, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC and Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC will offer legislators, governmental agencies, industry organizations, fleets, and owner-operators the opportunity to experience these advances firsthand in the nation’s capital.
Bendix, the North American developer and manufacturer of active safety, energy management, and braking solutions, will demonstrate for the third consecutive year technologies that are available today or forthcoming during demonstrations running throughout the day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 14 and 15 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH) will kick off the event on September 14. Sutton, a strong proponent of commercial vehicle safety and a leading supporter of active safety technologies will take the first ride in a truck outfitted with the Bendix ESP full-stability system and Bendix Wingman Advanced – A Collision Mitigation Technology.
From the seat of a truck cab or motor coach, participants will experience firsthand the performance and effectiveness of the range of Bendix advanced safety and fuel-saving technologies available today. These systems are designed to help drivers mitigate rollover, loss-of-control and rear-end collision situations, while others alert drivers to stationary objects in the vehicle’s path of travel and/or an unintended departure from the current lane of travel.
As a part of its Washington, D.C., visit, Bendix will have available systems that feature information to help fleets strengthen driver performance, along with technologies to help improve stopping distance. Demo participants will also have the chance to learn about the innovative Bendix air management solutions that deliver solid performance, along with improved fuel economy and lower emissions. And finally, the Bendix team will offer demo participants a glimpse of several future technologies designed to integrate video and radar.
“There is no better way to show someone how our technologies and solutions can help mitigate accidents, improve fuel economy, and reduce emissions than by a demonstration allowing attendees to see firsthand how the technologies work,” says Fred Andersky, Bendix director of government relations. “While no technology can replace a skilled and safe driver, advanced technologies such as full stability, collision mitigation, lane departure warning, and others can help to protect the safety of all motorists on our roadways.”
Bendix ESP is a full-stability system that helps mitigate rollovers and loss-of-control situations, and Bendix Wingman ACB, an approach to active cruise with braking, is designed to help drivers maintain a safe following distance behind vehicles in their lane through warnings and active interventions, to help them potentially avoid, or lessen the severity of, rear-end collisions.
Bendix Wingman Advanced combines the power of adaptive cruise control with braking and always-available collision mitigation braking to deliver both warnings and active interventions to drivers to help mitigate rear-end collision situations. Bendix Wingman Advanced and Bendix Wingman ACB feature stationary object alerts that give drivers a head’s up on sizeable metallic objects in their lane of travel. Both systems build upon the company’s full-stability technology – Bendix ESP – providing fleets and owner-operators with a system that can help drivers in collisions, rollovers, and loss-of-control situations.
The market-leading, vision-based AutoVue Lane Departure Warning (LDW) System – recently acquired from Iteris, Inc., and now one of the newest technologies available from Bendix – alerts truck drivers should they inadvertently drift out of their lane. The AutoVue LDW System contains a camera that tracks visible lane markings and continually detects when the vehicle begins to drift toward an unintended lane change. When this occurs, the unit automatically emits a distinctive rumble strip or other audible warning sound, alerting the driver to make a correction.
Safety Direct – also recently purchased by Bendix from Iteris, Inc. – provides real-time driver performance data captured by the AutoVue Lane Departure Warning System and, in the near future, other onboard safety systems, such as stability and collision mitigation technology. Fleet managers can view this information through a Web-based portal or, utilizing the fleet’s existing vehicle communications system, receive reports directly.
The Bendix ADB22X is North America’s most specified air disc brake. It exceeds the newly mandated 30% reduction in stopping distance regulations. Since its introduction in 2005, more than 175,000 Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes have been produced – more than any other North American design. Extensive testing and real-world applications have confirmed that Bendix air disc brakes significantly reduce stopping distances for commercial vehicles; virtually eliminate brake fade with no degradation of stopping power; enable a passenger car-like feel; and permit straight, stable stops. North American field experience, which continues to grow at a rapid pace, consistently validates the superior performance advantages of the Bendix air disc brake in shorter stopping distance, longer pad and rotor life, and reduced brake fade. The Bendix ADB22X air disc brake is a lightweight air disc brake package that offers fast and easy pad replacement, improving uptime. Easy access to the brake pads minimizes maintenance, labor and expense, allowing fleets and owner-operators to reduce costly downtime.
Many of these Bendix safety technologies are available from the major commercial vehicle manufacturers, including Freightliner, International, Kenworth, Mack, Peterbilt and Volvo.
The Bendix air management package, consisting of the Bendix PBS Air Injection Booster, Bendix Electronic Air Control (EAC) Dryer, and Bendix Turbo-Clutch Air Compressor, enhances vehicle performance, reduces fuel consumption, and improves emissions. The technology optimizes the performance of all engine types, including those using Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), Advanced Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), and other technologies developed to meet the federal EPA emission standards implemented in 2007 and 2010.
“Along with the demonstrations, we’ll have a number of Bendix business leaders and engineering experts at the demo ready to discuss our various technologies and answer questions,” notes Andersky. “The Bendix Washington, D.C., advanced technologies demonstration is really one of the only, if not the only, opportunities for legislators, regulators, and industry organizations to experience advanced commercial vehicle technologies close to home. It’s truly an opportunity not to be missed.”
