Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC and Kenworth Truck Company recognize that there’s no “typical” medium-duty truck job: Class 6 and 7 vehicles tackle a wide range of applications, challenges, and environments – from fuel tankers and wreckers to maintenance trucks and more. And because every medium-duty truck deserves top-notch safety, Kenworth Truck Company now offers Bendix Wingman Fusion – the flagship advanced driver assistance system from Bendix – as a factory-installed option on its T270 and T370 models.
“Whatever the task, when a driver gets behind the wheel, Kenworth has always put their safety first – and Bendix is proud to help support that goal with the most advanced systems on the road,” says Scott Burkhart, Bendix Vice President – Sales, Marketing, and Business Development. “Pairing the proven technology of Wingman Fusion with the durability, versatility, and reliability of Kenworth’s T270 and T370 helps ensure that these leading-edge medium-duty trucks remain at the forefront of driver and highway safety as well.” 
Integrating and advancing a time- and road-tested suite of Bendix safety technologies – radar, camera, and the vehicle’s brake system – into a comprehensive driver assistance package, Wingman Fusion can alert a driver and decrease the vehicle’s speed up to twice as much as previous systems, helping mitigate potential rear-end collisions or lessen their severity. Unlike systems that rely solely on radar, Fusion combines and cross-checks information from multiple sources, enabling it to deliver enhanced rear-end collision mitigation and braking on stationary vehicles, along with features that can only be accomplished with a camera, such as lane departure warning, and overspeed alerts and action. Collecting input through radar, camera, and the vehicle’s brake sensors working together, and not just in parallel, Fusion creates a highly detailed and accurate data picture using deep, multi-system integration. The system’s camera is powered by the Mobileye System-on-Chip EyeQ processor with state-of-the-art vision algorithms. Because of this ability to cross-check information multiple times per second – the result of software and sensors integrated together – Fusion delivers a robust approach that can help drivers, fleets, and owner-operators strengthen safety in their operations.
Built on the foundational technology of the Bendix ESP full-stability program, Wingman Fusion also helps drivers avoid additional crash situations, including rollovers and loss-of-control on wet and snow- or ice-covered roadways.
These combined technologies – radar, camera, and brakes – along with powerful next-generation computing, create a system that typically assesses situations faster and reacts earlier, while also reducing instances of false alerts and false interventions, and prioritizing alerts to help reduce driver distraction that may result from multiple alerts sounding simultaneously.
“We’ve offered Bendix Wingman Fusion as an option on our Class 8 T680 and T880 models for 2 years, and customers have let us know that it’s a system delivering performance on the road, data for the office, and return on investment,” says Kenworth Marketing Director Kurt Swihart. “Last year, we began providing factory installation of the radar-only Bendix Wingman Advanced on the T270 and T370, and soon after, Kenworth received a customer request for Wingman Fusion as well. We’re delighted to offer the most advanced collision mitigation system on our medium-duty chassis, not only for performance, but also for medium and heavy fleet owner standardization.”
Bendix and Kenworth emphasize that safety systems like Wingman Fusion are intended to complement safe driving practices, and not to encourage or enable aggressive driving. Skilled, alert drivers practicing safe driving techniques and supported by ongoing, comprehensive training remain at the heart of highway safety, and responsibility for the safe operation of a driver assistance system-equipped vehicle remains with the driver at all times.
Wingman Fusion is part of Bendix’s ever-growing portfolio of technologies that deliver on safety, along with other areas critical to fleet and owner-operator success, including equipment reliability, performance and efficiency, and lower cost of vehicle ownership. Bolstering its products with unparalleled post-sales support, Bendix aims to encourage investment in advanced systems that will improve safety for drivers, passengers, and everyone traveling North America’s roads.
