Experts Tout Advanced Safety Technologies for Trucks
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Strategies for increasing the awareness and adoption of new safety technologies for trucks were outlined during the first day of American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition here at the Music City Center.
Stakeholders have been calling for the adoption of advanced driver assistance system technologies, known as ADAS, due to a demonstrated capability associated with crash prevention, as well as overall safety improvements.
In touting the safety technologies, proponents call for more communication and messaging campaigns. The aim, they suggest, is to familiarize the workforce with such ADAS applications. Of interest is outreach meant to inform drivers on how to use ADAS in relation to their vehicles.
Dan Murray, senior vice president at the American Transportation Research Institute, emphasized the objective of elevating drivers’ acceptance and understanding of safety benefits associated with a range of ADAS. ATRI is surveying commercial drivers’ sentiment and approach to all-things ADAS.
The group’s focus is linked to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s “Tech-Celerate Now” program, designed to encourage mainstream adoption of ADAS applications. The agency is documenting the industry’s reaction to the push for utilizing ADAS technologies in commercial vehicles.
“What’s exciting is our Tech-Celerate technologies. They are here today, as I mentioned. Many are in place right now in the cab of the truck,” Murray told the MCE attendees during a panel presentation.
The ATRI survey is seeking information on the types of ADAS technologies that could be discouraging, as well as which technologies have proven most effective with safety improvements.
Legler by John Sommers II for Transport Topics
American Trucking Associations’ Jack Legler, technical director for the Technology & Maintenance Council, applauded the ongoing research and surveys related to ADAS. He emphasized that ADAS’ potential safety benefits should be applied to trailers. TMC is asking industry players to offer input and insight to better understand adoption rates and driver attitudes.
FMCSA, which regulates the trucking industry, announced its aim to accelerate ADAS deployment in categories such as active braking systems, active steering systems, active warning systems and camera monitoring systems, offering videos and brochures on those subjects.
“Effective deployment of these systems will require a national outreach campaign, which will include the development of outreach materials for fleets to implement ADAS, and training materials for drivers and maintenance personnel related to ADAS operation, inspection, maintenance, and troubleshooting,” according to background from FMCSA. “Other major tasks will include the identification of technical and market barriers, data collection and analysis, and stakeholder reporting.”
The technologies have the potential to enhance safety related to heavy vehicles, the agency emphasizes.
Per its return-on-investment literature, “Camera-based mirrors can yield fuel economy improvements of up to 3%, saving thousands per truck per year. Test results confirm vehicles are more aerodynamic when the original factory-installed mirrors are replaced with a camera system that creates less aerodynamic drag.”
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