For Mercedes-Benz trucks as an innovation leader in the field of safety and driver and assistance systems, the 'Vision of accident-free driving' is part of the company's DNA. We highlight the solutions of the future
Overview 8
Disruptions due to digitalisation, Big Data and automation, increasing goods flows and future legal requirements – how Mercedes-Benz Trucks responds to the changes and harnesses the technical progress for its customers
How Mercedes-Benz Trucks adds further value to the truck of the future through consistent networking – for the benefit of all those involved. A look behind the scenes
Mercedes-Benz has been advancing the development of innovative electric, hydrogen and gas drives for some time. Which drive and fuel options have which advantages, and which hurdles must be overcome?
Development from the inside out: Mercedes-Benz Trucks focuses on the driver. New technologies and extensive networking allow innovative control, cockpit and display concepts. What consequences does this have for future truck design?
To this end, the EU Commission has developed the VECTO simulation process in collaboration with the industry. How does it work, and how will further legal requirements influence the development of future trucks?
For Mercedes-Benz trucks as an innovation leader in the field of safety and driver and assistance systems, the 'Vision of accident-free driving' is part of the company's DNA. We highlight the solutions of the future
The medium-term goal is to develop a truck that optimises safety and comfort. Over the long term, highly automated driving could also have effects on driving and working times
That is why Mercedes-Benz Trucks is doing everything it can to make its diesel engines as efficient and ecofriendly as possible
- Almost zero traffic fatalities by 2050 – that is the EU's target
- Mercedes-Benz Trucks has already spent many years advancing the development of systems designed to make the "vision of accident-free driving" a reality
- Assistance systems now already improve road safety significantly, e.g. Active Brake Assist 4 with pedestrian detection and Sideguard Assist – both available exclusively at Mercedes-Benz Trucks
The vision of accident-free driving is a crucial part of the Daimler DNA. The company has been a pioneer in safety and assistance systems for decades, one of the reasons being that the foundations for improving the systems are laid in the in-house accident research. Mercedes-Benz Trucks is likewise a pioneer among the truck manufacturers in this field: almost all popular safety systems now available for trucks had their premiere in Mercedes-Benz trucks. A wealth of assistance systems is available exclusively for Mercedes trucks. Mercedes-Benz introduced the first Active Brake Assist system ten years ago, for example. Many of the safety systems developed by Mercedes-Benz Trucks, such as Lane Keeping Assist, have not only become firmly established on the market - they are now even mandatory for new vehicle registrations in the EU.
Continuing to set safety standards in future
When Mercedes-Benz Trucks unveiled Active Brake Assist 4 (ABA 4) in 2016, it was the world's first safety assistance system with integrated pedestrian detection. And it was the first emergency brake assist system in a truck able to clearly reduce the risk of collisions with pedestrians. The Sideguard Assist system introduced at the same time is also the manufacturer's first assistance system that can effectively protect pedestrians and cyclists when the truck is turning by warning the driver promptly if a collision is imminent.
Both systems can already save lives today and demonstrate that Mercedes-Benz Trucks consistently brings active and intelligent safety systems to market. The market leader's approach in pursuit of maximum possible safety centres on anticipatory action, rather than reaction. Next-generation systems will therefore be able to perform active braking, too.
Pressing problem: stress behind the wheel
According to recent research, around 13 percent of truck drivers suffer from chronic stress symptoms due to the high volume of traffic. The number of people who regularly suffer from stress due to traffic conditions but who are not yet ill is even higher. To provide drivers with precisely the right support, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is vigorously advancing the development of automated driving in the next generation of its trucks. New systems will allow semi-automated driving in all speed ranges. They are a logical further development of the Proximity Control Assist with stop-and-go function and are designed to assist the driver in the case of distractions in stressful as well as monotonous situations.
Highly networked research
To meet the highly diversified active-safety requirements, Mercedes-Benz Trucks calls upon all of the expertise available at Daimler: trucks, vans, buses and also passenger cars have been closely networked with each other and with corporate research at headquarters for many years. This means that each unit benefits from the development work and experience of the others. Another reason behind the leading position enjoyed by Mercedes-Benz trucks when it comes to safety and assistance systems is the pioneering achievements of the development engineers in continually improving the sensor systems for the vehicles. The amount of data taken into account is increasing all the time. Extensive tests ensure that the sensors undergo an ideal 'teach-in' process and that the standardised reactions to the complex traffic conditions are fast and smooth.
In long-distance-haulage trucks in particular, the intelligent combination of the assistance systems will pave the way towards highly automated driving in the coming years. New assistance and safety systems will each in themselves reduce the number of accidents. The quantum leap towards accident-free driving will take place thanks to their intelligent integration, which Mercedes-Benz Trucks is continuing to advance.