Today Peterbilt Motors Company announced enhanced capabilities and new features for the next generation Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ collision-mitigation system. The system comes standard on the company’s Model 579.
“The Model 579 is already established as the Peterbilt flagship for on-highway customers. With the addition of these new collision-mitigation features, the 579 further cements its position as a driver-preferred truck with excellent active and passive safety systems,” said Jason Skoog, PACCAR Vice President and Peterbilt General Manager. “With enhanced driver safety and productivity, customers can expect increased profitability and peace of mind,” added Skoog.
New features for the next generation Wingman Fusion include:
- Highway Departure Braking (HDB): Building on the Fusion system’s existing lane departure warning capability, HDB provides an audible alert to the driver and, if necessary, applies the foundation brakes to reduce vehicle speed up to 20 mph/32 kph if the system determines the vehicle has left the roadway unintentionally.
- Multi-Lane Emergency Braking (AEB): Multi-lane AEB can help the driver mitigate both the first, and potentially second, crash situation when more than one highway lane is blocked. Once a collision mitigation braking event begins and the driver steers into an adjacent lane to avoid the forward vehicle, the new Multi-lane AEB feature continues to apply the brakes – if needed – when it detects another forward vehicle blocking the path in the new traffic lane.
The new features will be available on Model 579s in the first quarter of 2020.
Bendix emphasizes that safety systems like Wingman Fusion are intended to complement safe driving practices, and not to encourage or enable aggressive driving. Skilled, alert drivers practicing safe driving techniques and supported by ongoing, comprehensive training remain at the heart of highway safety, and responsibility for the safe operation of a driver assistance system-equipped vehicle remains with the driver at all times.