Safety & The Driver
Collision Avoidance
Truck accident avoidance technologies provide more than an ounce of prevention.
By Steve Sturgess, Senior Editor
& Deborah Whistler, Editor
Spiraling insurance costs, liability exposure, driver retention, and plain good business practices are driving fleets to seriously consider collision avoidance technologies. Helping drivers avoid accidents with added safety systems on their trucks makes sense.
The big problem is cost justification - the payback calculation - and it's almost impossible to predict because you cannot know how much you saved from the accident you did not have.
One of the earliest collision-avoidance technologies - besides simply turning the steering wheel or stomping on the brake - was the Vorad radar distance sensing system, now called the Eaton Vorad collision avoidance system.
Early adopters of the technology include Greyhound and U.S. Xpress. As Max Fuller, co-chairman of U.S. Xpress commented, it was not a decision that could be made or justified from an economic standpoint, "It was simply the right thing to do."
Here we canvas collision avoidance technologies available and talk to some fleet users who have discovered that use of collision avoidance has lowered their accident rates and the severity of accidents, considerably improving their bottom line.
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Eaton Vorad
The Eaton Vorad system provides the driver with visual and audible warnings about objects in his lane up to 350 feet ahead. It has forward-looking radar with excellent lane discrimination, even on curved roads.
Also featured is a side-sensor capability to aid the driver in the detection of objects in the blind spot alongside the truck.
Because the system is radar-based, it operates effectively night or day, in rain, fog, dust or snow.
The addition of an internal yaw rate sensor allows the system to operate effectively on curved roads.
Software configurable performance parameters enable fleet-specific system operation. Also available is the Vehicle Information Management System that records operational data for monitoring driver and vehicle performance. In the case of an accident, a second-by-second recording allows a snapshot reconstruction showing traffic activity leading up to the accident.
Options include SmartCruise, which enhances driver convenience by maintaining driver pre-set speed and following intervals to vehicles ahead while in cruise control. This aids safety since the technology automatically varies speed to maintain safe following distances.
Bendix XVision
Nighttime and fog are conditions of reduced visibility that can be significantly aided by the Bendix XVision system. According to Bendix customer research director Andreea Raaber, Xvision enables drivers a range of vision far exceeding that of sensor-based warning systems available today on commercial vehicles.
She says more than 50% of all driving accidents occur between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., so there is a distinct need for enhanced nighttime vision. XVision lets drivers see five times farther than with their regular headlights, says Bendix. At 60 mph, that additional viewing distance adds up to an extra 11 seconds to safely steer or stop a vehicle and avoid collisions.
The system also functions in fog and light rain, giving drivers an edge in these treacherous weather conditions.
XVision is a commercialized military technology that senses infrared radiation and displays the distinctive heat pictures on a small screen in the driver's field of view. The infrared camera is extremely sensitive and in the dark, people and animals appear as bright white images against the dark background. Similarly, other heat sources such as vehicle lights, exhaust systems and engines that are even only a few degrees warmer than the surroundings stand out very clearly.
The display can be either a head-down unit mounted high on the dash, behind the steering wheel, just below the driver's line of sight, or a head-up display mounted just above the driver's line of sight, flipping down much like a visor.
The 1:1 viewing ratio provides images on the in-cab display in identical proportion to the image as seen through the windshield. In use, the driver views the road ahead through the windshield in the usual manner. However, when something unexpected ahead pops up on the display, it is sufficient to catch a driver's attention, alerting him to something up ahead too far distant to be seen in the headlights. With that additional alert on the real-time, black and white, thermal image of the road ahead, the driver can safely avoid an otherwise unseen situation.
Driven To Distraction
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, nearly 300,000 distracted drivers are involved in serious crashes annually — making the phenomenon one of the most serious public health hazards of the 21st century.
According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 18,000 highway fatalities in the U.S. alone - and over 40% of all fatalities - are related to unintended lane departures.
NHTSA estimates that more than 1.5 million police-reported crashes involve some form of driver inattention.
Enter one of the latest collision avoidance systems in trucking:
Iteris says its Lane Guidance system is the first of its kind to be available on Class 8 trucks. The system alerts drivers at a time when they may be distracted, fatigued or otherwise unaware of an impending lane departure.
Lane Guidance is a small, integrated system consisting of a camera, processor and software that easily attaches to the windshield, dashboard or overhead.
The system is programmed to recognize the difference between the road and lane markings. The unit's camera tracks visible lane markings and continually feeds the information directly into the unit's computer, which combines this data with the vehicle's speed. Using image recognition software and Iteris proprietary algorithms, the computer can predict when a vehicle begins to drift toward an unintended lane change.
When this occurs, the unit automatically emits the commonly known rumble strip sound, alerting the driver to make a correction before danger occurs. By using the turn signal, a driver indicates to the system that a planned lane departure is intended, which disables the alarm.
This warning may be audible (through the vehicle's speaker system) or haptic (vibrations through either the seat or the steering wheel) or both. Many years have been spent identifying whether a departure is intended or unintended, thus creating a system that works well to support the driver in many different driving situations, according to Iteris.
Lane Guidance works effectively both day and night and in most weather conditions where the lane markings are visible.
Here are some key features:
• Designed for highway travel; disabled at low speeds.
• No warnings for planned lane departures (with turn signal on).
• Manual disable switch to eliminate nuisance alarms in confusing situations (e.g., construction zones).
• Dashboard indicator to alert driver when system is not able to track lanes.
• System optimized to nearly eliminate false alarms.
• Diagnostic codes available over J1939.
• Fully qualified to J1455.
The choice of the warning sound emitted by the device was based on sound research, according to the manufacturer.
In a report to Congress on March 15, 1999, the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research validated that only one type of device can alarm or awaken drivers who are drowsy or asleep - shoulder rumble strips placed on high-speed, controlled-access and rural roads.
Rumble strips on the outside of the road have been proven to reduce lane departure accidents by as much as 55%.
"With over 155,000,000 kilometers of use in over 2,000 commercial trucks in Europe, Iteris' Lane Departure Warning System is a proven product that we believe can become as much a part of overall vehicle safety as airbags and ABS brakes," said Francis Memole, vice president, business development and marketing for Iteris.
"We designed the system to offer drivers 'virtual rumble strips' on every lane of every road, and on both sides of the vehicle.
"What makes our product effective is its preventative nature. It not only notifies a driver that they have drifted from their lane, it warns them early enough to give them time to react to a situation before it's too late," said Memole.
Developed in conjunction with DaimlerChrysler, Iteris' Lane Departure Warning System has been successful in the European heavy truck market since 2000, when Mercedes began installing the system in its Actros trucks. MAN Trucks, also based in Europe, offers the technology as optional equipment on its new trucks.
Freightliner now offers Iteris' technology as a factory-installed option on Century, Argosy and Columbia models.
And the system has been on the road in the U.S. with two trucking companies. Cargo Transporters and Praxair Inc. both currently specify the Lane Departure Warning technology on all their new truck purchases.
Cargo Transporters is based in Claremont, N.C., and services 48 states and Canada with a fleet of 330 trucks and 1,100 trailers.
"Cargo Transporters wanted an advanced, yet cost-effective system that could be easily installed into its trucks to assist drivers in potentially dangerous situations on the road," Memole said.
According to Cargo Transporters President John Pope, safety has always been the company's main concern. After 3.5 million miles of driving experience, Cargo Transporters reports they are seeing improved safety and driver satisfaction as a result of using the Iteris system.
"We have an excellent safety record, but the Lane Guidance system is making it even better," said Pope.
Cargo Transporters is currently specifying the Lane Guidance system on all of its new truck purchases. Its drivers appreciate the extra confidence the system provides, and report that using it on a daily basis helps make them better drivers.
Backup Alarms
While avoiding collisions going forward offers big benefits in terms of increased safety for the driver and other traffic, back-up accidents are still a major concern. Those where pedestrians are involved can be significantly reduced by the simple measure of adding a backup alarm like the recently introduced Back-up Alarm System by Hendrickson.
An audible alarm system by trailer-industry supplier Hendrickson, it is available for trailer manufacturers to install on new vehicles. But it can also be purchased through the Hendrickson aftermarket network for retrofitting.
With rearward trailer movement, the system activates a very loud warning sound to help alert bystanders and other drivers in areas such as congested dock operations and near crosswalks and walkways that the vehicle is moving in reverse.
A wheel-end direction sensor reads the ABS tone ring, activating the alarm - a 97-decibel repeating pulse - after one-half of a reverse revolution of the tire. The alarm ceases two seconds after the trailer stops or immediately upon any forward movement.
The system comes in a kit, which includes a direction sensor, electronic control unit, wiring harness and alarm. The electronic module features an additional output that may be wired for an additional warning light. This feature can also switch on a highly useful back-up light - not included in the kit - without the need to run a signal from the cab.
SuperSight
More sophisticated backup systems exist. A very recent introduction from Superior Signals is initially targeted at the light-vehicle market because it uses the rear-view mirror as a display. Called the SuperSight, this is a new model in the company's range of rear-vision systems already available for applications such as refuse collection, where sight to the rear is critical.
The new SuperSight is an innovative unit that places the display in a replacement interior mirror head. A four-inch LCD monitor appears on the driver's side of the rearview mirror when the vehicle is in reverse, or the monitor can be manually turned on and off for complete vision of the rear view mirror.
The complete system for light vehicles includes the mirror/monitor, camera, and 50 feet of harness, with a 75-foot harness available as an option. The rearview mirror observation display is available in either color or black and white.
Fatigue Warning
Fatigue is a major contributor to accidents, and any technology that can address driver drowsiness may be worth consideration. A recent announcement of a steering sensor claims to offer a solution.
Electronic Safety Products Inc. of Indianapolis has developed what it says is a simple and cost-effective fatigue warning called S.A.M. G-3.
This is a steering attention-monitoring system that consists of a magnetic sensor that monitors the motion of the steering wheel and relays that information to a small control box containing a microprocessor and alarm.
The S.A.M. G-3 works off the principle that when you are driving, you are continually making minor steering adjustments. When a driver starts to fall asleep at the wheel, he tends to relax and drift, no longer making regular corrections to the steering. When drifting occurs for three or four seconds - the time is adjustable to minimize false alarms - an audible alarm alerts the driver. If a steering adjustment is not made within one second of the alarm, an optional cruise relay can turn off the cruise control, thereby immediately slowing the vehicle.
Not only will S.A.M. G-3 alert a fatigued driver, but it can also alert an inattentive driver who may be looking away while driving, or just not paying attention to the road. The product also has a sensitivity dial to allow adjustment to different road conditions and vibration levels, and has extra output ports to allow for optional products like speed activation and data logging. The device could potentially provide real-time data feedback to trucking companies via the truck onboard computers and communications. This allows companies to contact their drivers if conditions warrant.
Animal Avoidance
There are several new products aimed at reducing collisions with animals - particularly deer.
According to the makers of the electronic Deer Alert, the deer population has doubled to 25 million in the last 10 years, and collisions are on the rise. Over the whole driving population, deer collisions account for $900 million in vehicle repairs and $125 million in medical and hospital costs. Because truckers drive 10 times as many miles as regular motorists and many of those miles by night, their exposure to deer accident risk is much higher, so deer prevention measures are worthwhile.
Drivers have had varying success with the whistles that are available in truckstops. Now there are active devices that are said to be much more effective. Deer Alert says it has a "transonic" pulse sound that is audible and an ultrasonic sound to alert all kinds of wild animals.
The manufacturer says it works up to 2,000 feet from animals at the side of the road.
Shu Roo For You?
Another active product, developed in Australia to keep kangaroos off the roadway, is the Shu Roo.
One of our staff members who drives a truck tested this product and reports that deer not only perk up at the sound from the Shu Roo, they turn and bolt away from the roadway.
More Info
There are a number of other suppliers of collision avoidance products. We were unable to cover all of them in this article, so we focused on the variety of different technologies available. Information on these and other collision avoidance providers are available in Heavy Duty Trucking's Products and Services Guide on our web site at www.truckinginfo.com.
