The European Road Assessment Programme (EuroRAP) and the European New Car Assessment Programme (EuroNCAP) have joined forces and created "Roads that Cars can Read", a leading document that could change forever the current perspective on automobiles and traffic. With so many innovative systems, such as lane and speed limit assistants, being continuously released with almost every new car, there's a stringent necessity they reach that desired level of proper functioning to keep the driver and passengers away from suffering physical injuries if the event of an accident. Through firm cooperation and a substantial labour, as well as a solid interaction with the decision factors in the automotive industry, the primary targets of "Roads that Cars can Read" could one day be fully met: raising public awareness on the importance of the debated issues, reducing the number of fatalities, improving the future generation of vehicle safety and assistance technologies and safeguarding for the health and integrity of all the human beings that actively take part in the transportation process - pedestrians, drivers, occupants.
Read the entire analysis report after hitting the jump button!
_______________________
Motor Industry and Highways Sector Must Unite to Save Lives, report claims
The two heavyweights in road and car safety, EuroRAP and Euro NCAP, have joined forces to call on the motor industry and the highways sector to work together to ensure that technologies now available in the showroom reach their potential of saving thousands of lives.
In a consultation document issued jointly by the safety organisations, Roads that Cars can Read, EuroRAP and Euro NCAP assert that the condition of road signs and markings could be the greatest hurdle in reaping the benefits of new in-car safety technology.
According to the report, technologies now arriving in new car showrooms are forecast to save thousands of European lives as they trickle down into universal use. Increasingly cameras and sensors are used to read the road ahead and help the vehicle react early if drivers are heading into danger. Though, obscured signs or faded road markings are hard to read whether using the naked eye or an in-car camera. The new report includes a survey of six countries to probe how signing and marking practice still varies around Europe after more than half a century of international conventions.
John Dawson, Chairman of the European Road Assessment Programme (EuroRAP) says: “Huge sums have been spent developing technology that is revolutionising the safety of our vehicles. Little attention has been given to the quality of basic signing and marking with which drivers currently have to cope. We’ve found no country which systematically measures the quality of signing and marking being achieved. A century after the cat’s eye was invented, technology is again driving this rethink of how the road ahead can be read safely. The key lesson is that what is good for humans is good for machines.”
Roads that Cars can Read recommends that the roads and motor industries should learn to work on new designs together by focusing on helping drivers with two early technologies now offered in new cars, “Lane Support” and “Speed Alert”. Lane Support reads lane markings to work out the position of the vehicle within the lane and steers drifting vehicles back on path, a common origin of crashes. “Speed Alert” allows drivers to choose warnings when exceeding posted roadside speed limits.
Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) says: “the roadsides of Europe are littered with flowers and shrines. More than a quarter of road deaths involve running off the road. ‘Lane Support’ gives the driver a warning that’s as physical as hitting a rumble strip on the road. It is estimated more than 2,000 European deaths annually can be prevented with this technology.”
“The consequences of missing a change of speed limit have become more serious as more nations have adopted a points system and enforce limits rigorously. The ‘Speed Alert’ system protects the drivers from missing a speed sign, not least when limits chop and change.”
Roads that Cars can Read recommends that both the roads and motor industries this decade should target improved signing and marking on the ten per cent of Europe’s roads where the majority of travel and the majority of deaths are concentrated involving higher speed crashes. “The majority of European deaths are on national roads and busy regional roads outside towns. The single carriageways are Europe’s killing fields. We should focus this decade on ensuring the quality of the signing and marking on these busy open roads whether or not the technology needs it,” says John Dawson.
“We now need a full survey of the quality of road signs and markings to measure the real-world variation in signing and marking across borders and define the working tolerances that are acceptable.”
Source: EuroNCAP
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
A tough truck wouldn't be complete without brilliant underpinnings. The new Actros is equipped with a dynamic chassis based on a torsionally stiff frame with wide track. It integrates an intelligent concept which improves ride comfort and helps for a sensitive and firm steering for added fuel economy. The assistance systems provide extra safety and relieve stress when the truck is stuck in traffic. In the future, the range will be extended as the chassis was developed to properly fit new and additional wheelbase lengths.
Criteria such as handling and safety are becoming increasingly important in long-distance transport. The new Mercedes-Benz Actros takes account of this, ushering in a new era of driving dynamics for heavy-duty trucks. No other premium-category truck feels as poised, assured or safe on the road, largely thanks to a new frame and an extensively modified chassis. The new truck's exemplary ride comfort is at the same high level. A Mercedes-Benz is always extremely well prepared should the worst come to the worst: the already outstanding safety level has been further enhanced by extended functions. Last but not least, a perfected modular system means that the new Actros is available with a wide choice of wheelbase and frame variants. Plus it offers exceptional body-mounting ability.
Complete chassis and ride-comfort concept
Major plus points of the new Actros include its driving dynamics, handling and comfort, largely thanks to a complete chassis and ride-comfort concept, from the frame and the chassis through to the cab suspension and the driver's seat. A wealth of innovations in this field means that the new Actros conveys a safer driving feel than any other truck in its class.
Torsionally stiff frame with wide track
A new frame, uncompromisingly designed for on-road vehicles, forms the backbone of the new Actros. It is exceptionally torsionally stiff and has a wide track of 834 mm (previously 744 mm). Both factors together form the basis for excellent handling stability – the Actros hugs the road with an assured feel.
Tried-and-tested axles and a dynamic, new chassis
The core design of the tried-and-tested axles is the same as for the predecessor model; however, the developers have completely redesigned the control and the suspension to enhance driving safety and ride comfort.
New features include the location system for the Mercedes-Benz HL6 hypoid rear axle, based on optimised rear-axle location with new geometry and lines of action that now intersect behind the axle. Four-bellows air suspension, which responds precisely to road unevenness, is now responsible for the ride comfort. This is a symmetrical air suspension system (i.e. the bellows are of the same size). The spring track is wider than previously. Another advantage is the fact that four bellows operate faster and can lift higher loads than two bellows.
The tried-and-tested offset front axles are available with either steel or air suspension and with a choice of tonnages. The number of spring layers varies depending on the permissible axle load. The weight of the steel springs has been reduced thanks to an aluminium front spring bracket. New features include weight-optimised suspension with single-leaf parabolic springs on the front axle.
The chassis for the new Actros impresses with its high levels of directional stability, outstanding understeer/oversteer characteristics and high precision. Ride comfort has also been further enhanced.
Three cab mounting variants
The cab mounting is a major component in the driving-dynamics concept. There is a choice of three variants for the new Actros: Standard cab mounting, Comfort cab mounting (standard for cabs with a flat floor) and the exceptionally comfortable air suspension.
Sensitive and firm steering even saves fuel
One of the key factors behind the new Actros' excellent handling is the steering system, which impresses on account of its precision, thanks to a re-tuned steering gear, and conveys excellent road feel. The ratio is more direct whilst the kinematics have been improved and the controlled power steering pump saves fuel.
Powerful new engine brake and highly effective retarder
In 1996, the forerunner to the new Actros revolutionised the truck world on account of its four-disc brake system with a high-pressure system and electronic control. The new Actros takes this exceptional brake system a stage further. A new, optionally available high-performance engine brake sets new standards once again. The three-stage engine brake achieves an immense braking power of up to 400 kW (544 hp) on Euro VI models. Another new feature is the optionally available water secondary retarder with a braking torque of up to 3500 Nm or up to 750 kW. As well as being more powerful, the new retarder is lighter, weighing in at just 65 kg instead of 100 kg as previously.
Assistance systems to enhance comfort and relieve stress when stuck in traffic
The previous model series also set milestones with its safety and assistance systems. Whether it be adaptive cruise control, Lane Keeping Assist, Stability Control Assist or the revolutionary Active Brake Assist with autonomous emergency braking when stationary obstacles or moving obstacles ahead are detected, the Actros has always led the way for others to follow.
The new Actros builds on this lead. Stability Control Assist is now fitted as standard on both the semitrailer tractor and the chassis version, while the unique Proximity Control Assist system with stop-and-go function now even controls moving off and stopping in traffic automatically – making the driver's job much easier when driving through cities or in stop-and-go traffic. What's more, the Proximity Control Assist is no longer automatically linked to the retarder. The sensed fifth wheel coupling informs the driver of its lock status via a display in the cab. The exterior mirror with manoeuvring function on the co-driver's side extends the range of vision when manoeuvring by automatically adjusting outwards by ten degrees when reverse gear is engaged.
Standard equipment for all Actros models includes automatic activation of the hazard warning lights following an emergency stop so as to warn following traffic and help prevent rear-end collisions. The optional rain and light sensor activates the windscreen wipers and dipped beam when required, while the likewise optionally available tyre pressure monitoring system for the tractor and trailer is primarily aimed at enhancing safety: burst tyres as a result of insufficient inflation pressure are just as much of a safety risk as flat tyres. Furthermore, insufficient tyre inflation pressure increases the tyre's flex and, therefore, fuel consumption as well as reducing service life – a key factor when it comes to economy.
Attractively priced safety packages
Ready-made safety packages available at attractive prices encourage the inclusion of safety technology. The “Basic Safety Pack” comprises Proximity Control Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and a driver's airbag, while the Classic Safety Pack includes all of these as well as Active Brake Assist and roll control for dropsiders. Meanwhile, the Top Safety Pack features all of the above plus a retarder.
Range extended to include new and additional wheelbase lengths
The new Actros is a bespoke premium truck with an even larger range of models available than its predecessor. It can be ordered as a two- or three-axle version with trailing or leading axle and with a choice of three frame heights: standard, low and lowliner. Mercedes‑Benz has also further extended the range of wheelbase lengths by narrowing the gap between each version. Hence the two-axle semitrailer tractor is now available with a choice of four wheelbase lengths – 3550, 3700, 3850 or 4000 mm – while the two-axle chassis with cab gives customers a whopping eleven wheelbase lengths to choose from, ranging from 3600 to 6600 mm in steps of 300 mm.
Low-frame and lowliner models now have a slightly lower coupling point height, while the dropsider frame is also noticeably lower, making it easier to mount bodies.
Good body-mounting ability prioritised
The new Actros chassis already offers exceptionally good body-mounting ability as it is. The 50 mm hole pattern throughout in the frame side members, including the area of the axles, gives bodybuilders a great deal of freedom, as does the absence of rivets aft of the rear axle. Frame overhangs can be selected in steps of 300 mm, while the end crossmember can be relocated in 50 mm steps.
Although the exhaust system takes up more space on the frame due to the Euro VI requirements, optimised exhaust outlets make the bodybuilder's job easier. If required, space can be left within the frame – for demountable-platform vehicles, for example. In this case, there is no need to relocate the tank subsequently. Standardised fastenings, brackets and fixing bolts facilitate body mounting. All of which saves costs and shortens delivery times.
New chassis with new tanks
The wider frame, the in-line engines and the more complex exhaust gas aftertreatment system for Euro VI require a modified chassis design. The developers have taken this opportunity to introduce a new fuel tank concept among other things. Four tank cross-sections give a fuel supply volume of 290 to 1300 litres. The tanks are flexibly inter-combinable for individual solutions, and there are no conversion costs. Even the AdBlue tanks are available in a choice of sizes: 60 or 75 litres.
The main fuel tank and the AdBlue tank are mounted on the left-hand side of the vehicle. There is space for an additional tank on the right-hand side. The full vehicle width of 2.55 metres can be used to optimise the tank volume. There is also a combination tank with two chambers for diesel fuel and AdBlue available for semitrailer tractors.
Source: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
