There is no such thing as a perfectly safe truck. Mobility in essence implies moving. And transportation business means moving heavy loads. This combination will always create potentially dangerous situation – and new safety challenges.
Improving truck safety is therefore an ongoing process. Here is a quick glance at tomorrow’s safety systems, which may be found in our trucks within the next two to 15 years:
FaceLAB™
This Head and Eyetracking System consists of a camera which registers the pattern of the driver’s head and eye movements, and can thus see whether he or she is alert, tired or distracted. Depending on the assessment, the system can provide appropriate feedback and warn the driver as necessary.
Brake Assistance
If the vehicle nonetheless collides with another, it is important to minimise injuries and damage. Speed is the factor that has the single greatest effect on injuries in the event of an accident. The Brake Assistance feature can help ensure that the truck is braked to the very maximum so as to minimise the collision speed.
Communication Systems
After an accident, it is vital to deploy the right sort of assistance. One effective Post-Crash action is to send data about the collision to the emergency rescue authorities via the mobile phone network. If the rescue personnel can ascertain the vehicle’s position, speed, gross combination weight, collision acceleration and nature of the accident site, they can create an accurate picture of the scope of the accident, preparing the appropriate response and dispatching the appropriate resources.