Active Brake Assist: tried and tested over five billion kilometres
After introducing various active and passive assistance systems such as the Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Lane Assistant (SPA), Continuous Braking Limiter (DBL), Brake Assist (BA), Adaptive Cruise Control (ART), Front Collision Guard (FCG) and Active Brake Assist, Mercedes-Benz is now introducing the second generation of Active Brake Assist, yet another milestone on the path to implementing the vision of accident-free driving.
Up to now, the safety system only initiated an emergency stop if there was a risk of a collision with the vehicle ahead, but Active Brake Assist 2 now has the ability to initiate a braking manoeuvre in response to stationary obstacles, for example if there is an unexpected motorway tailback.
Active Brake Assist was first implemented in Mercedes-Benz Actros heavy trucks in 2006 and in Mercedes-Benz Travego buses in 2008. Since then, this assistance system has truly proved its worth over five billion kilometres. There are approximately 27,000 Daimler trucks and buses on the roads equipped with Active Brake Assist.
Active Brake Assist 2 will complement the presentsystem from the end of the year. Mercedes-Benz will continue to support the distribution of Active Brake Assist at no extra cost in connection with Adaptive Cruise Control being ordered by the customer.
The radar-controlled system detects stationary obstacles
The radar of Active Brake Assist 2 scans an area between 0.25 and 200 m in the lane ahead of the bus, constantly monitoring the distance and the difference in speed to the vehicle directly ahead or to a stationary obstacle. If an accident is unavoidable unless the driver takes action, the driver is first warned by a red triangle lighting up and an acoustic warning signal. If the situation becomes more severe, the system reacts by braking.
The warning concept is designed such that drivers can take action themselves in order to avoid a critical situation. The brake application initiated by Active Brake Assist 2 is done so with 30 % of the maximum braking power and thus the driver can gain the time needed to avoid the potential accident and take appropriate action.
Effective from 100 - 0 km/h and stable in different weather and lighting conditions
Compared with other systems still being developed, Active Brake Assist 2 has distinct advantages. The successful radar technology has proved itself to be robust under most weather and lighting conditions. Also, Active Brake Assist is active across the whole speed range of a bus from almost 0 km/h (slow driving) up to motorway speeds, with the limiter deploying at 100 km/h. Active Brake Assist 2 from the Mercedes-Benz Actros was adapted to the needs of buses for this purpose.
Discounted rates for third-party and comprehensive insurance
Active Brake Assist 2 cannot always prevent accidents, but by braking automatically it considerably reduces the collision speed and thus lessens the accident damage. Buses equipped with Active Brake Assist, Lane Assistant and Adaptive Cruise Control are entitled to a ten-percent reduction on third-party and comprehensive insurance from Mercedes-Benz Omnibus insurance through the Mercedes-Benz Bank.
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