Mack previews driver safety system

Looming availability of Bendix Wingman Fusion system to make Mack the "most advanced bonneted truck in Australia" in terms of safety…

With the addition of its new Bendix Wingman Fusion safety package across a range of Mack Trucks models, brake specialist Knorr-Bremse – which owns Bendix – says the combination delivers "the most advanced bonneted trucks in Australia" when it comes to safety.

Now that's a big claim, and one we were keen to investigate during a recent 'sneak preview' of the Bendix system ahead of its rollout in early 2017. Along with a handful of other transport journos, I travelled to DECA's Shepparton facility in central Victoria to learn about the Bendix Wingman Fusion product and see first-hand how it can help truckies avoid or at least mitigate a collision.

WHAT IS BENDIX WINGMAN FUSION?

As Knorr-Bremse's Lead Applications Engineer – OE, Brett Nicoll, explained, the Bendix Wingman Fusion was launched in the US earlier this year, and has been under development here in Australia since February.

Having successfully undergone local calibration and testing it's ready for deployment here in Australia, and will shortly be offered as an option on Mack's Titan, Super-Liner, Trident and Granite models. The package will have to be specified at the time of purchase – it can't be retrofitted.

It's not available on the Metro-Liner, although this more urban-focussed model can be kitted out with the Bendix BlindSpotter system – a blind-spot monitoring package that also forms a part of the Bendix Wingman Fusion system.

Now pay attention here, because the acronyms are about to come thick and fast. Working hand in hand with the latest Bendix ABS-8 anti-lock braking system and Mack's Roll Stability Advantage (RSA) rollover prevention and electronic stability control, Bendix Wingman Fusion adds Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Active Cruise Control with Braking (ACB), Stationary Vehicle Braking (SVB), Collision Mitigation Technology (CMT) and Following Distance Alert (FDA).

While offering improvement on existing technologies in several respects, the big news about Bendix Wingman Fusion is its Stationary Vehicle Braking and enhanced Collision Mitigation Technology. Together these allow the truck to detect a stopped vehicle, alert the driver and – if no action is taken – brake the truck autonomously to a stop.

You could fill the internet by going into the specifics of the technology behind Bendix Wingman Fusion, but for our sanity's sake let's keep it brief. A radar is mounted low behind a locally sourced plastic panel in the truck's bullbar, while a camera is mounted high on the truck's windscreen behind the swept area of the windscreen wipers.

The radar is continuously searching for metallic surfaces to a range of up to 190 metres, while the camera is searching for the profile of a vehicle to a range of up to 90 metres. Together, the radar's longer and narrower beam and the camera's wider, shorter beam can deliver "robust" vehicle detection at 60 metres – whereby the two beams are effectively 'fused'.

OFF TO THE DECA SKIDPAN

After the theory session, it was off to DECA's skidpan to put our test vehicle – a Mack Granite with day cab and a trailer with test rig – through the wringer. It had been pouring all morning, providing ideal conditions in which to put the Granite's stability control and rollover prevention to the test.

The outrigger trailer in place and the stability control active, the Granite took a standard 'J' turn test from 50km/h in its stride. When traction started to go, engine output is automatically reduced and then, if necessary, individual wheels are actively braked to maintain control.

While we didn't get to tackle the same test with the system switched off because of the wet conditions (click here to see what happens in the dry), it highlighted just how effective the technology is in preventing a loss of control.

Next it was off to DECA's closed circuit to test the Bendix Wingman Fusion's Stationary Vehicle Braking. Words can't adequately describe the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you're bearing down on a stopped car at 45km/h, with absolutely no intention of touching a brake or the steering wheel.

The system sprang into action with flashing lights on the dash-mounted Driver Interface Unit and an audible alert, before the truck took matters into its own hands and slammed on the brakes, pulling it up a few metres short of impending doom. Okay, so the 'vehicle' in question was actually a cardboard cut-out stuck to an inflatable cushion, but it looked real enough from where I was sitting!

I should point out that on two occasions the system didn't quite brake the truck early and/or hard enough to prevent a collision, but that was two out of about 12 attempts, in bad weather, and with a fake vehicle – as in not an actual, real, metal one.

In any case, in those two instances the system did slow the truck before the impact, reducing the damage done. Bendix describes the Wingman Fusion package as a 'collision mitigation system', not a 'collision avoidance system'.

ON THE ROAD

Next we headed out on the roads around Shepparton to trial the Lane Departure Warning and Active Cruise Control with Braking functions. Lane departure warning systems are well established in the car world and there's no difference in the operation of the system here – start to drift over the white lines marking your lane and you're alerted to issue via visual and audible warnings on the Driver Interface Unit. It certainly works well but we noted that – unlike in many cars – there's no way to turn the LDW off.

The Active Cruise Control with Braking function, colloquially known as radar cruise control, is also increasingly common in the car world. It's basically electronic cruise control, but you can set the following distance between the truck and the car in front, so that the truck follows the car at that distance even if the car accelerates or decelerates.

It's a neat driver aid and one that lessens fatigue considerably over a long trip, while the Following Distance Alert is another handy function that warns the driver if he or she is too close to the vehicle in front to stop in time.

We didn't really get a chance to test the Bendix BlindSpotter but you can't argue with the potential benefits of a system like this for heavy vehicles. Active only down the truck's nearside, it alerts the driver to a vehicle in the truck's nearside blind spot with visual and audible warnings.

THE VERDICT

Mack Trucks is yet to announce pricing for the Bendix Wingman Fusion, but says it's now taking orders for Mack trucks to be fitted with the system, with those trucks to begin rolling off the production line from February next year.

Dean Bestwick, Vice President of Mack Trucks Australia, says the addition of the Bendix system turns Mack's trucks into market leaders for safety.

"Bendix Wingman Fusion integrates the latest camera, radar and braking technology to provide one of the most comprehensive and powerful driver assistance systems available on conventional trucks in Australia and NZ," he says.

"It goes without saying, this system will not replace an alert or skilled driver. Ideally these systems will never be needed but, when they are, you'll be glad Mack has your back."

To that end, it's difficult to put a price on the benefits of the Bendix Wingman Fusion package. The ability to prevent death or minimise injury is reason enough to tick this particular option box when buying a new Mack, while it's also a cheap insurance for those seeking to protect their costly asset from damage or worse.

While the fanciest electronics in the world aren't (yet) any replacement for a skilled, alert and experienced driver, one day all heavy vehicles will be fitted with safety systems like this as a matter of course. Road safety will only benefit as a result, but in the meantime savvy Mack operators and owner/drivers can always be on the front foot with the Bendix Wingman Fusion package.

After all, it's a safety net that only has to work once to be worthwhile.

Mack previews driver safety system

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