Get FinancingMack Anthem & Pinnacle Trucks Now Available With More Advanced Bendix Active Safety System
Mack Trucks says that its new Anthem and Pinnacle models are now available with the 2nd-generation Bendix Wingman Fusion driving assistance system with enhanced features. The solution combines camera and radar technologies to help drivers avoid collisions and hazards with audible and visual warnings, along with AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking).
“Mack is a strong believer in implementing technology to increase safety on our highways,” says Mack director of product strategy Roy Horton. “The enhanced version of Bendix Wingman Fusion offers additional support, helping the driver effectively maneuver down the road when unforeseen events could occur.”
Mack announced the news at the 2019 NACV (North American Commercial Vehicle) Show in Atlanta, Georgia. Its truck assembly center, Lehigh Valley Operations in Macungie, Pennsylvania, will do the installation of the Bendix system as needed.
Smarter Braking
Bendix Wingman Fusion uses input from a bumper-mounted radar sensor and a windshield-mounted optical camera to help maintain a safe distance from other vehicles in front of the truck. It provides collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning.
The latest version of Wingman Fusion has better AEB in several respects. The system’s collision alerts will notify the driver when a large, metallic object is detected ahead, up to 3.5 seconds before an impending crash, and will automatically engage the brakes if the driver doesn’t respond. The new edition’s AEB can now slow the truck down from 50 mph (80.5 km/h) rather than from 35 mph (56 km/h) in its older incarnation. AEB is only active when the truck is traveling at above 15 mph (24 km/h), and it will engage regardless of whether cruise control is enabled.
The new Wingman Fusion also features multi-lane continuation of AEB, meaning that the driver can change lanes to avoid a slow vehicle or obstacle and still rely on AEB to automatically reduce speed if the new lane is also blocked.
See Something, Say Something
The enhanced system also includes better driver awareness support and lane-keeping support, with audible warnings that now continue if the driver doesn’t correct a detected lane deviation.
Importantly, Bendix Wingman Fusion can often sense hazards down the road the driver can’t see. “Thanks to the combination of radar and camera sensors, Wingman Fusion is very effective in conditions that affect visibility, such as rain, smoke, fog, or snow,” says Horton. “The camera also helps when objects are not easily identified or are not detected by radar, providing a second level of safety.”
Source: Mack Trucks
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