Advice: using Bendix Wingman Fusion

The Bendix Wingman DIU (driver information unit) is the part of the Fusion system that provides information and allows the driver to select from the pre-set parameters to suit the application and conditions. This forward collision alert and mitigation system functions differently to other cruise control devices.

As a driver of a vehicle with one of these units fitted, it is important to fully understand the system's features, especially the driver indications and alerts. The Bendix Wingman DIU has six main alerts: Impact Alert (IA), Following Distance Alert (FDA), Stationary Object Alert (SOA), Lane Departure Warning and Over-speed Alert. All these alerts are always available regardless of whether cruise control is active or not.

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The DIU goes through a start-up sequence and self-test when the engine is started. Once the system has completed its start-up sequence the DIU will enter the normal operation mode, which displays the cabin of a truck graphic in black on the left side of the screen with three brackets in front to indicate the front-facing radar beam ahead operational.

To access the main menu operation mode, simply press the 'OK' button at any time, but it is preferable to access the main menu function only when the vehicle is stationary. Some items may not appear if the feature is not configured or not allowed.

The desired menu item is highlighted by using the up or down arrow buttons and selected with the 'OK' button. The most common selections will appear in a scrollable window: Volume, Dist. Setting (Distance Setting), Dist. Units (Distance Units), US/Metric, Brightness, System Status, Diag. Display (Diagnostic Display), Demo (Demonstration – note, the demo is available only when the vehicle is not moving).

If you are not familiar with the system, it is worthwhile spending a few minutes navigating to the Demo option in the menu and selecting it. This activates the system's demonstration mode that shows the various lights, display screens, and sounds produced by the DIU – along with a brief explanation of their meaning – for the configured features.

To navigate through each screen, press the down-arrow button. The up-arrow button has no functionality in this mode and to exit the demonstration at any time press the 'OK' button.

To adjust the volume of the alerts, select 'Volume' from the main menu, then use the up or down-arrow buttons to increase or decrease the volume. Once the desired volume is reached press the 'OK' button to exit this menu item. The modified volume setting will be retained through ignition cycles unless configured not to do so. If not configured, the volume setting will default to 100 per cent on each new ignition cycle.

To adjust the brightness of the screen, select 'Brightness' from the main menu, then use the up and down arrows to change the back lighting, LCD backlighting, and LED brightness. Once the desired brightness is reached press the 'OK' button to exit the menu.

The DIU light sensor reading determines whether the current cab lighting mode is bright (day) or dark (night). When the light mode is bright, any brightness adjustment made by the driver is applied to only the bright mode setting.

Likewise, when the light radar sensor sets the light mode to dark, any brightness adjustment made by the driver is applied to only the dark mode setting. This functionality allows the driver to adjust the brightness setting for the two cab lighting conditions, after which the DIU will automatically toggle between the two settings based on the light radar sensor's input. Both the bright mode setting and the dark mode setting are stored across power cycles. (Note: the DIU does not allow the brightness control to completely shut off the LEDs.)

The distance setting feature relates to the distance at which the Bendix Wingman system will alert the driver of the following distance of the forward vehicle. For city driving it is recommended to select a shorter distance; conversely select a longer distance for country driving.

To change this setting scroll through the menu to 'Dist. Setting' and use the up or down arrows to adjust the setting from 1, 2, 3 or 4. Generally speaking, 4 is the furthest distance setting available and 1 the closest.

The distance settings may vary from vehicle to vehicle and will have different meanings based on the configuration chosen by the vehicle owner. These settings can be adjusted at any time by a technician using Bendix's ACom diagnostic software.

On most vehicles, the following distance will default back to setting 3 each time the truck ignition is switched off.

The 'Dist. Units' menu item allows the driver to choose between having the following distance from the forward vehicle displayed in either seconds or metres, measured from the front bumper to the selected forward vehicle. By default, this item is set to seconds.

The following distance in seconds is calculated based on the current speed of the Bendix Wingman-equipped truck, and the distance, in metres, away from the selected forward vehicle.

For instance, if the selected forward vehicle is 27 metres from the bumper of the Bendix Wingman-equipped truck, and this truck is traveling at 97km/h, then the following distance in seconds would be 1.0 second because a truck traveling 97km/h can travel 27 metres in one second.

When the system detects a vehicle ahead, its speed is displayed at the rear of the vehicle symbol on the bottom right side of the screen.

When FDA Level 1 is issued, the following distance to the object/vehicle ahead has been reduced to the distance determined in the current configuration for FDA Level 1. The DIU will begin to give the driver audio and visual alerts for as long as the forward vehicle is in this zone and traveling at the same speed or slower.

The DIU will not display following distance units while in an FDA level mode. For FDA Level 1, the audible alert will be a single repeating tone, and the visual alert is a single yellow LED and a screen with the vehicles slightly closer.

The DIU will give the driver audio and visual alerts for as long as the object/vehicle ahead is in this zone and traveling at the same speed or slower.

For FDA Level 2, the audible alert will be a repeating double tone, and the visual alert is two yellow LEDs and a screen with the vehicles closer.

The DIU provides the driver with audio and visual alerts for as long as the vehicle ahead is in this zone and traveling at the same speed or slower. This is the closest and most urgent Following Distance Alert and will require driver intervention such as applying the brakes to increase the following distance.

For FDA Level 3, the audible alert will be a continuously repeating tone, and the visual alert is three yellow LEDs and a screen with the vehicles very close.

A Stationary Object Alert (SOA) is an alert given to the driver when the radar detects a sizeable, non-moving metallic object in the vehicle's path of travel. To reduce the number of false detections, such as bridges and overhead signs, a set of filters are put in place so the SOA will not warn on every stationary object. The SOA can be configured to be on or off through the display.

If an SOA is issued – up to three seconds before a potential impact – the DIU will very briefly send out an alert identical to a very brief FDA Level 2: i.e. a continuous tone and two yellow LEDs, with the display image switching between a stationary object symbol.

The Bendix Wingman system has the ability to warn the driver if the vehicle is not tracking in the intended roadway path.

In most vehicle applications, the LDW system is enabled above 60km/h. The driver should immediately correct the vehicle tracking and maintain the correct position in the lane. The LDW can be switched off when the vehicle is situations where a definitive clear line is not available, such as road works that may confuse the system.

The safety benefits of the Bendix Wingman Fusion system are clear – through reducing the likelihood of any incident or accident, the system keeps drivers, other motorists and pedestrians safe, while also protecting costly assets and freight.