ON-HIGHWAY TECHNOLOGY
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems recently released the Wingman Advanced collision miti-
gation system. Using a front-mounted radar sensor, the system warns truck drivers if another
vehicle gets too close to the front of the truck. If a collision appears imminent, the system
will apply two-thirds of the truck’s available braking power to avoid or minimize a collision.
A MORE ALERT
WINGMAN
Latest generation of Bendix technology provides alerts,
adaptive cruise and collision avoidance
BY DJ SLATER
Collision mitigation technology has come a long way since it was launched onto the trucking scene in the early 1990s. One
of the initial products, the Vehicle
Onboard Radar (VORAD) system, a
technology originally developed by
Eaton Corp. and later acquired by
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems
at the close of 2008, was designed
to alert drivers if their truck came too
close to a vehicle ahead of it.
Bendix still provides similar radar-based technology, but it has come
a long way from the days when drivers were alerted by lights or audible
alarms. The company’s newest Bendix
Wingman Advanced system provides
collision mitigation with braking technology and adaptive cruise control in
an effort to bring a whole new level of
control and safety to heavy-duty truck
fleets and operators.
“Forward collision warning tech-
nology may have had its roots in
over a decade of on-road use by
the VORAD technology,” said Fred
Andersky, Bendix director of market-
ing – Controls. “But the real power
came in 2009 when we introduced
the Bendix Wingman ACB, which
stands for active cruise with braking.
And responding to the needs of driv-
ers and fleets when it comes to active
vehicle safety technology, we took
yet another step forward by enhanc-
ing the Wingman ACB to create the
Wingman Advanced.”
The Wingman Advanced system
is designed to deliver warnings and
active interventions to help drivers
avoid rear-end collisions or reduce
their severity. The system provides
following distance and stationary
object alerts, which are always avail-
able, whether or not cruise control is
engaged. When drivers use the adap-
tive cruise control with braking feature,
the Wingman Advanced system will
also actively intervene to help maintain
a safe following distance by reducing
the throttle, engaging the engine brake
or, if necessary, applying the founda-
tion brakes, Andersky said.
