Volvo Trucks launches Collision Warning

Volvo Trucks has developed the Collision Warning with Emergency Brake system, which is now available on the company’s new FH Series vehicles. The advanced emergency braking system also includes an early collision warning feature and has been developed to support truck drivers, so that the majority of rear-end collisions, which account for a significant proportion of road accidents, can be avoided or mitigated. The new system combines both radar and a camera that work together to identify and monitor vehicles in front of the truck. The system is designed to deal with both stationary and moving vehicles and can prevent a collision with a moving target at relative speeds of up to 70km/h (50mph).

When the system detects a vehicle that the truck will hit at its current speed, the warning system activates a constant red light projected onto the windscreen, in order to bring the driver’s attention back to the road. However, if the truck fails to detect any reaction from the driver, such as steering or braking, the system upgrades to a flashing red light and a beeping sound. If there is still no reaction, the system applies the brakes gently. If no action is taken by the driver, the system activates the emergency braking system and does everything possible to bring the truck to a complete stop. In Europe, emergency braking systems will be a legal requirement in new trucks by November 2015.

“We began by asking, ‘what really is the problem?’ The answer is inattention. If you watched the traffic ahead of you the whole time, you wouldn’t need systems like these,” said Carl Johan Almqvist, traffic & product safety director at Volvo Trucks. “We don’t want to take over from drivers, because we believe they are in the best position to respond, as they might be able to safely drive around the vehicle. In the vast majority of cases, the initial warning signals will attract the driver’s attention. And in the rare case that they don’t, the emergency braking system will still help prevent a serious accident.”

8 October 2012