Daimler Buses: Safety, Trendsetting Touring Coaches and Innovative Services

Stuttgart / Berlin – At the Bus2Bus show in Berlin between 19 and 21 March 2019, Daimler Buses will be presenting three highlights from its broad portfolio. The Mercedes-Benz Safety Coach Tourismo will serve to demonstrate the state of the art in touring coach safety technology. Meanwhile, the attractive Setra TopClass S 531 DT double-decker will show the perfect synthesis of fascinating design, economy, comfort and safety. And finally, the Omniplus service brand will use its Omniplus On portal to demonstrate the multifaceted possibilities which digitalisation and their latest services can offer.

Mercedes-Benz Safety Coach Tourismo: demo drives with the safety expert among touring coaches

It is the best-selling touring coach in Europe and tailor-made for business class travel: The Mercedes-Benz Tourismo combines cost effectiveness, safety and comfort. And the exhibition vehicle confirms this definitively: The 13.1 m long Tourismo M/2 has been set up for the new EU permissible gross vehicle weight of up to 19.5 t for two-axle vehicles. The Tourismo Safety Coach showcases two firsts for high-deck touring coaches bearing the three-pointed star: Active Brake Assist 4 with pedestrian detection and Sideguard Assist. And it also features all of the other safety systems currently available. Beside all of the other numerous advantages of the Tourismo, this means that no other high-deck touring coach is safer. And the Safety Coach Tourismo will demonstrate this at the show as part of some impressive demonstration drives.

Active Brake Assist 4 and Sideguard Assist in the Mercedes-Benz high-deck bus

Active Brake Assist 4 with pedestrian detection, or ABA 4 for short, is a logical further development of the predecessor ABA 3: While ABA 3 automatically initiated a full application of the brakes if there was a risk of collision with stationary obstacles or other vehicles driving in front, ABA 4 can now additionally also apply the brakes in response to pedestrians. This function is a world’s first in bus and coach manufacture. The performance of the new ABA 4 system is already far in excess of future legal requirements.

Another first in the Tourismo is Sideguard Assist for the blind spot. Its radar sensors monitor the area of road to the right-hand side of the vehicle along the full vehicle length and even beyond. When making a turn, Sideguard Assist warns of the presence of cyclists, pedestrians or even stationary obstacles in the turning zone. Furthermore, out of town, the system provides assistance on the co-driver’s side when changing lanes.

In addition to this, the high-deck bus has also been equipped with all of the safety and assistance systems currently available for the Tourismo and thus proves to be a true safety bus – there is no other high-deck touring coach that can offer greater safety.

Mercedes-Benz Tourismo: economical, comfortable and user-friendly

The fact that the demonstration vehicle is equipped with luxury appointments can already be seen from the presence of the high-quality, driver-oriented “Cockpit Comfort Plus”. Maximum efficiency and a more relaxing driving experience are guaranteed by Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC). The anticipatory cruise control system knows the vehicle’s current position and the elevation profile of the road ahead. Based on a number of parameters, PPC regulates the speed and pre-emptively selects the right gear at the right time. PPC also uses EcoRoll technology: Where it makes sense to do so, this technology puts the transmission into neutral and allows the touring coach to coast and thus save fuel. Further support for the driver is available from Eco Driver Feedback: EDF carries out an instant analysis of the bus driver’s personal driving style and provides personalised feedback and suggestions.

Passengers enter the Tourismo through wide entrances. The mounting of the seats on podiums makes it especially comfortable for passengers to take their seats and stand up. The Softline seating is a real eye-catcher with its quilted diamond pattern in the centre panel of the seat cushions and backrests. The “Dinamica” black fabric seat and backrest covers with their almost sporty look live up to its name. Headrests in black Composition leather-fibre material, side bolsters and backrests in a light and friendly pebble colour, plus piping in yellow Composition round off the overall aesthetics. The curtains also bring a splash of colour into the interior with gold and anthracite in alternation.

Passengers can enjoy DVDs shown on three 19-inch monitors. In addition, passengers can all configure entertainment as they choose on their own devices. The central control for this is the Coach MediaRouter, which has slots for SIM cards and USB connections. This enables passengers to use the internet and access media from a comprehensive, locally stored database. End-user devices can be supplied with power via the 230 V socket located on the seat rail of each double seat or the two USB sockets located on the wall next to each double seat.

The vehicle is equipped with the top engine variant available in the Tourismo range. The Mercedes-Benz OM 470 six-cylinder inline engine equipped to Euro VI specification develops 335 kW (456 hp) from its 10.7 litres of displacement and delivers a maximum torque figure of 2200 Nm. Meanwhile, power transmission is handled by the fully automated eight-speed Mercedes-Benz GO 250-8 PowerShift transmission.

The outstanding aerodynamics of the Tourismo with an unrivalled air resistance coefficient of C= 0.33 offer a further significant reduction in fuel consumption. This is also helped by the automatic lowering of the body at motorway speeds to reduce the frontal area. The driver and passengers in the front rows also benefit from the aerodynamics as there are exceptionally low levels of wind noise.

Setra TopClass S 531 DT double-decker: the benchmark for safety, efficiency, versatility and comfort in its class

The Setra TopClass S 531 DT double-decker sets benchmarks in its class. At exactly 14 m long and 4.0 m high, the Setra has an imposing figure. Besides its fascinating looks, it impresses especially as a prime example of aerodynamics and fuel efficiency and offers the greatest levels of variability, comfort and safety.

A double-decker as an all-rounder – really? Yes, really! Depending on the variant selected, the imposing Setra S 531 DT can be a luxury coach for long-distance tours, a functional long-distance service bus or an individually equipped bistro-bus. Even for intercity routes, the tallest of the Setra models cuts a fine figure. Depending on the intended use, Setra positions the front entrance either on the left or right. Upon request, there are two different door widths available for the rear entrance, not to mention a collapsible or a folding ramp, and if required, even a lower deck which can be equipped to personal requirements. Other options include passenger seats or a space for wheelchairs on the right-hand side, as well as the option to include or omit a toilet and/or a galley. On the upper deck, there is the option to add the TopSky glass roof which lets light flood into the vehicle interior and gives passengers a fantastic view. Businesses can also choose one of two different cockpits: the elegant and functional “Comfort” cockpit or the “Comfort Plus” premium variant.

Pretty smart: a touring coach par excellence

The Setra model exhibited welcomes its passengers with a refreshing breeze – among the features on-board the velours red metallic touring giant is a fragrance system. The bus presented is a typical touring coach for tours to holiday destinations. This becomes clear from the position of the front entrance being behind the driver’s workplace, as well as from the extensively equipped galley – here with two Thermos flasks for 40 cups each – and the on-board toilet. The luxury appointments also feature 78 Setra Voyage Plus seats with black-blue covers and adjustable luxury head restraints with Composition leather-fibre covering. Per double seat, there is a double USB socket to power passengers’ own mobile devices.

Exemplary safety and comprehensive driver support

The new assistance systems Active Brake Assist 4 and Sideguard Assist had their world premiere in autumn 2017 together with the Setra S 531 DT. In the exhibited vehicle, they are also on-board, as are a number of further safety and assistance systems – no double-decker bus offers a more comprehensive range of safety equipment. Among the buses extremely impressive standard equipment aren’t just assistance systems like ESP, but also long-lasting LED headlamps which are easy on the eyes and a fire extinguishing system in the engine compartment.

The driver of the double-decker bus takes their place in the especially high-quality “Comfort Plus” cockpit. Thanks to video monitoring of the upper deck and the second entrance area, the driver can always keep an eye on what’s happening on-board of the vehicle. Systems like the anticipatory cruise control system Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) or the Eco Driver Feedback (EDF) driving style assistant also offer support to the driver. Setra has even thought about tour guides, too: A special tour guide camera and six screens make them visible to passengers on both decks whilst they are giving their explanations.

Another significant feature of the vehicle is the performance which the drive system delivers: In the rear of the mighty touring coach is a Mercedes-Benz OM 471 six-cylinder inline engine which develops 375 kW (510 hp) from its displacement of 12.8 litres. In doing so, it is assisted by the fully automated Mercedes-Benz GO 250-8 PowerShift bus transmission.

Omniplus On: the service just got digital and now opens up a whole range of new possibilities

All-round service for all buses of the Mercedes-Benz and Setra brands: That is the promise of Omniplus, the service brand of Daimler Buses. With more than 600 Support Points in Europe, Omniplus is a Europe-wide and bus-specific service network. Innovative services are continually being added to the scope on offer. The new Omniplus On portal integrates existing and new services. Thanks to Omniplus On, the service has gone digital and a whole range of totally new possibilities have been opened up to bus companies and drivers alike. The digitalisation also provides support to the traditional services of the Omniplus service brand. These, too, continue to be expanded.

Omniplus On: four pillars for maximum availability, fleet management and replacement parts procurement

  • “Omniplus On advance” ensures bus companies enjoy maximum availability of their fleet, for example thanks to the revolutionary Omniplus Uptime service for monitoring vehicle systems in real-time.
  • “Omniplus On monitor” brings together telematics services for efficient fleet management.
  • “Omniplus On drive” assists the driver, for example, in carrying out the prescribed daily departure checks.
  • “Omniplus On commerce” enables bus firms to enjoy a rapid and targeted purchasing process around the clock. This includes, for example, the direct booking of Omniplus Uptime since January 2019, or later in the year the purchasing of replacement parts from the Omniplus eShop.

Customers of the current Mercedes-Benz Citaro, Conecto and CapaCity variants, the current Mercedes-Benz Tourismo and all Setra touring coaches of the ComfortClass 500 and TopClass 500 model series can benefit from Omniplus On. From this year, all of these buses have been equipped as standard with the “Bus Data Center” telematics box. This serves as the transfer unit for various pieces of data.


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