NORWALK, OH — The operator of the largest truck fleet in North America said it will make collision mitigation technology standard equipment on every new Class 8 tractor the company orders.

UPS Inc. said during a special event this week in Ohio that each of the more than 2,600 new Class 8 tractors that it takes delivery of this year will feature the system from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, which alerts drivers to moving and stationary objects in front of the tractor and moving objects surrounding the vehicle.

The collision mitigation systems on UPS’s new Class 8 tractors feature lane departure warnings, electronic stability control, and anti-lock air disc brakes. Stability control monitors the tractor trailer’s motions and, especially during turns and slick conditions, automatically distributes braking power to each wheel for a more precise control.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that all passenger and commercial vehicles use this technology, but it is up to the U.S. Transportation Department as to whether it will mandate it.

“Safety is of the utmost importance to UPS. We’re investing in technology that provides UPS drivers with opportunities to increase visibility of their surroundings in constantly changing environments,” said Randy Stashick, president of engineering for UPS. “The safety benefits of these technologies make incorporating them into UPS’s fleet the right thing to do for our employees and fellow motorists.”

Each new UPS Class 8 tractor since 2012 has featured stability control, a foundational technology for collision mitigation systems, for more stable turning, shorter stopping distances, and reduced buffeting, according to the company.

The collision mitigation system goes one step farther. It features adaptive cruise control, which maintains a constant distance behind the vehicle in front of the UPS tractor. With the adaptive cruise control turned on, the UPS tractor will automatically slow to avoid a collision. Secondary benefits include reducing the accordion effect caused by traffic and, from that, enhanced fuel economy.

According to UPS, each new UPS Class 8 tractor also features an automated manual transmission, which offers the power and efficiency of a manual transmission with the simplicity of an automatic transmission. Eliminating the need to shift gears provides the driver with greater opportunity to implement proactive defensive driving techniques.

“Collision mitigation systems make good drivers even better,” said Paul Savill, UPS Freight driver and a captain for the American Trucking Association’s America’s Road team. “Traffic conditions can change quickly as other vehicles change lanes. These technologies are an excellent complement to safe driving techniques.

The Atlanta, GA-based UPS was ranked as the largest for-hire carrier in Canada and the U.S. recently by Transport Topics newspaper in its annual roundup, showing it has 106,000 company owned tractors and did more than US$55 billion in business last year.