Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems has formalized a strategic alliance with Takata to market the latter’s SafeTrak lane-departure and driver-alertness warning systems. Also NEW is the company’s Roll Stability Support (RSS) 1M system; new electrically controlled air dryer (ECAD) technology; and System Saver 1200 Plus air-dryer enhancements.

SafeTrak is an inexpensive vehicle sensor system — it retails for $500 or less — that can be fitted to any truck, offering lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, and driver-alertness warning features. This vision-based system monitors the road ahead and audibly warns drivers if they unintentionally depart from a lane or the road. It alerts drivers of weaving and lane drifts, including lane changes that occur without a turn-signal application, by detecting and classifying lane markers on the road through a compact windshield-mounted unit comprised of a camera, optics, processor, and a power supply that assist in tracking and projecting the lane ahead. Installation and setup takes less than an hour. Telematic capabilities are not yet part of its feature set, nor can SafeTrak be integrated with other vehicle systems.

The new RSS 1M model offers trailer anti-lock braking with the added benefit of stability control. It’s easily retrofittable to any ABS-equipped trailer with air or mechanical suspension. It can also be installed on trailers without existing ABS, in which case installation would take longer. This two-sensor/one-modulator system completes the company’s offering of ABS and trailer stability control integrated into a single unit. The system automatically accounts for load status and calculates lateral acceleration while driving. If the lateral acceleration exceeds a specific value, low-pressure check-brake applications are applied. If the system detects a potential rollover during the check process, a full brake application occurs. The RSS 1M is derived from the proven RSS 2 M system that’s been available for nine years, with nearly 20,000 in the field. The company says customers have been requesting a one-modulator variant.

This RSS 1M safety system is targeted for vans, reefer units, and flatbeds. Features and benefits include integrated control and supply port screens, a tank-mountable ECU/valve assembly, optional-lift axle control, and Meritor Tire Inflation System (MTIS) by PSI monitoring. Additional capabilities include onboard data recorder and telematic broadcasting capabilities

As of late this month, Meritor WABCO’s new ECAD dryers (pictured above) will be available on an unnamed OEM’s trucks. At a guess, it might well be Freightliner. ECAD is said to offer several advantages over conventional air dryers, including the potential for fuel savings. It includes two solenoid valves to facilitate pressure control and regeneration. To control it, the truck’s electric control unit (ECU) compiles relevant information for air drying, such as line pressure, engine speed, engine operating time, road speed and ambient temperature. With intelligent regeneration control, intermediate regenerations take place during long delivery cycles and are determined by delivered air volume. Regeneration takes place from the system reservoir volume, with no separate regeneration reservoir required. ECAD can’t be retrofitted. Advantages include close monitoring of dryer working cycles and flow rate; cartridge change requirement on control panel; and lower service cost.

Meritor WABCO has also enhanced its System Saver 1200 Plus air dryer, introduced in 2009, to allow integration of the wet tank into the existing platform. This in turn brings added application flexibility and a small weight saving. It’s a spin-on air dryer that utilizes internal air for regeneration. By incorporating the wet tank and adding a drain valve, it means one less reservoir in the system, saving space and weight. As well, the labour time needed to replace the spin-on cartridge is less than five minutes compared with up to 30 minutes for other air dryers, the company says, and replacement cartridges typically cost less than competitive designs.

Meritor WABCO is a 50/50 joint venture between Meritor, Inc. and WABCO Automotive Control Systems, Inc.