Kenworth and Peterbilt, two of the largest truck manufacturers in North America, are set to launch a new driver assistance platform developed by ZF, a leading supplier of driveline and chassis technology. The new platform promises to improve safety, efficiency, and driver comfort on the road.
According to ZF, the partnership was originally planned to deploy in 2020, but was delayed by “COVID and commercial matters.”
“We continue to work closely with our Commercial Vehicle customers to provide ADAS technology that can help to make the roadways safer for all travelers,” said Julien Plenchette, Senior Vice President, Americas with ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions division, adding that his company was pleased to integrate “this critical safety technology” into Paccar’s newest truck platform.
What is the ZF Driver Assistance Platform?
OnTraX Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) technology is being utilized to increase safety on the roads. Using a forward-facing camera, this system detects lane markings and activates when it has determined that the truck is in its lane and traveling at least 40mph. This advanced feature offers drivers timely corrective guidance if it senses the tractor has begun to drift from its lane without the turn signal activate and will enable gentle counter steering motions that help bring the truck back into proper position.
Conversely, when the turn signal is engaged, the driver can cross the lane without intervention. The system is also designed to recognize when critical maneuvers are being implemented by the driver due to hand wheel speed input from the driver, and will cease corrective intervention during obstacle avoidance.
The introduction of ZF’s Driver Assistance Platform represents an interesting development in trucking technology. Kenworth and Peterbilt are among the first manufacturers to adopt this system; however, it’s likely that more will follow suit in the coming years as demand for advanced safety features continues to grow.
Source: ccjdigital
