ORLANDO, Fla. — Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems says its new OnGuard collision safety system will revolutionize the North American truck market.

This technology was introduced and demonstrated for journalists and fleet customers this week at the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) annual meeting in Orlando.

OnGuard is a forward-looking, radar-based adaptive cruise control system with active braking for commercial vehicles, Meritor says. New to the North American industry, active braking improves vehicle safety by automatically using the vehicle foundation brakes to alert the driver and decelerate the vehicle when a pre-set following distance is compromised.

It is currently installed on nearly 200 vehicles and is targeted for third quarter 2008 availability as a factory-installed option at several OEM brands, the supplier says.

“The driver is still the most important element in maintaining vehicle safety however, the system can provide the additional split-second deceleration needed to maintain control of the vehicle in an emergency situation,” said Jon Morrison, president and general manager, Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems.

OnGuard, says the company distinguishes itself from other from other passive collision warning systems, which can only alert the driver to a potentially dangerous situation through alarm and engine braking. With OnGuard, if the pre-determined “safe” distance is breached, the system will not only warn the driver, but will also decelerate the truck through engine control, retarder control and most importantly, noticeable foundation braking.

Foundation brake deceleration can be as great as one-third of a full brake application for the vehicle but within safe limits for the driver to take control.
The system’s radar sensor reportedly detects moving and fixed objects at distances up to 500 ft away. OnGuard uses a proprietary time-to-collision algorithm, unlike the simpler two-second headway alarms, says Meritor.

OnGuard fully integrates with the joint venture’s anti-lock braking and stability control systems. Morrison added that this allows the customer to build a “pyramid of safety” for the vehicle with stability control and collision safety system via a single brake ABS ECU versus having additional add-on systems.

According to the U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, rear-end collisions account for over 20 percent of all heavy-truck crashes. The truck is the striking vehicle in 60 percent of those accidents.