Source: Daimler announcement
STUTTGART, Germany – Mercedes-Benz and Setra have launched a range of safety-assist systems for heavy commercial vehicles, including the world’s first fully-integrated Sideguard Assist for trucks.
Mercedes-Benz and Setra are now also offering sideguard assist as retrofit solutions for almost all trucks, buses and coaches made by the two brands.
Sideguard assist most impactful in city traffic
Sideguard assist are primarily for the protection of cyclists and pedestrians as well as those riding electric scooters – the most vulnerable road users. Especially in city traffic, such systems help truck and bus drivers to carry out their highly responsible and difficult job.
Turning off in the direction opposite the driver is among the most difficult and risky tasks which a truck or bus driver has to carry out. Not only do they have to look ahead for traffic lights, signs, oncoming and crossing traffic, but they also have to keep an eye on any road users who may be alongside the vehicle. And that’s without taking into account the weather or the time of day. Moreover, the traffic situation can change in seconds. What’s more, pedestrians and cyclists alongside the vehicle are not always aware of the fact that a truck or bus driver may not even be able to see them. Yet it is these unprotected road users in particular who are most at risk of being involved in a collision.
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Sideguard assist can make an important contribution here. For example, accident research carried out by insurance companies anticipates around half of all accidents between trucks and cyclists being avoidable in conjunction with such a system.
The number of associated fatalities can ideally be reduced by almost one third, and the number of serious injuries by more than 40 percent.
For almost every truck and bus from Mercedes-Benz and Setra, there is now a suitable assistance system for driving in city traffic, be that ex works or using a retrofit solution: with the sideguard assist, Mercedes-Benz and Setra are yet again one step ahead of the equipment which is prescribed by law. Sideguard assist for trucks will only be a requirement in the European Union beginning in 2022 for new vehicle models and two years later for all existing model series. For newly registered long trucks, sideguard assist will already be a requirement in Germany beginning this July.
In 2016 Mercedes-Benz Trucks presented the world’s first sideguard assist for Mercedes-Benz trucks that was fully-integrated into the vehicle architecture and since then has successively introduced it in its various truck model series. And it’s in high demand: in Germany today.
The entire announcement can be viewed by clicking HERE.
