When Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC introduced Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program in 2005, it marked the first time a full stability solution was widely available for the North American commercial vehicle market. That system has now been equipped on more than 500,000 vehicles, already meets forthcoming safety regulations, and continues to serve as the foundation for advancements in driver assistance technologies.
“Across North America, full-stability systems have been proven on the road and strongly embraced by fleets and drivers, and have changed the highway safety landscape for the better,” said Scott Burkhart, Bendix vice president – sales, marketing, and business development. “Our entire team couldn’t be more proud of the success of Bendix ESP in helping to create safer trucks, mitigating loss-of-control and rollover incidents, and providing return on investment. The fact that our reorder rate is nearly 100 percent indicates that the system is doing its job and its benefits are well-recognized.”
Following the launch of Bendix ESP, six years passed before Bendix – the North American leader in the development and manufacture of leading-edge active safety and braking system technologies for commercial vehicles – marked its 100,000th delivery of the system.
Over the next six years, that number more than quadrupled, pushing the number of Bendix ESP units past the half-million mark in early 2017.
Major truck manufacturers offering Bendix ESP as standard equipment on Class 8 trucks include Kenworth, Peterbilt, Mack, and Volvo. The system is also available on International tractors. Bendix ESP is also available for more than 80 percent of all medium-duty chassis
configurations at PACCAR and Navistar.
Coach manufacturers Prevost and Motor Coach Industries (MCI) both offer ESP on their vehicles as well, and in 2014, Blue Bird Corporation added ESP as a factory-installed option, making it the first North American school bus manufacturer to offer stability technology. Bendix continues to refine and improve its full-stability technology through unparalleled rigorous and repeated testing: The company is currently engaged in its 17th year of winter testing of commercial vehicle full-stability systems, making it the most experienced manufacturer in the industry when it comes to full-stability technology for tractor-trailers, trucks, and motorcoaches.
New Safety Standards
Later this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will begin implementing a new mandate requiring ESC (Electronic Stability Control) technology – also known as full stability – on Class 7 and Class 8 truck tractors and motorcoaches with a gross vehicle weight rating of greater than 11,793 kilograms (26,000 pounds). The three-phase regulation takes effect August 1 for Class 7 and 8 6×4 tractors – a majority of today’s tractors. Phase two impacts Class 8 buses, starting June 24, 2018; and phase three encompasses most remaining Class 7 and 8 highway tractor and motorcoach applications on August 1, 2019.
Bendix ESP fully meets the new mandate, which reflects NHTSA’s choice of ESC over RSC (Roll Stability Control), or roll-only technology. Full-stability systems include more sensors than either RSC or stand-alone antilock braking systems (ABS), which creates a more comprehensive system capable of addressing both roll and directional stability. These added sensors enable the unit to more quickly recognize factors that could lead to vehicle rollovers or loss of control. On dry surfaces, this means full-stability systems recognize and mitigate conditions that could lead to rollover and loss-of-control situations sooner than roll-only options. Full-stability technology also functions in a wider range of driving and road conditions than rollonly systems, including snowy, ice-covered, and slippery surfaces. Additionally, full-stability systems can utilize automatic brake interventions involving the steer, drive, and trailer axles, whereas roll-only systems typically apply the brakes on only the drive and trailer axles. Slowing the vehicle quickly helps mitigate rollovers faster, while slowing and redirecting can help the driver maneuver in loss-of-control situations.
ABS systems are not designed to proactively react to potential roll or loss-of-control situations.
“Out on the roads, full-stability technology is making a difference. Bendix ESP contributes to highway safety by helping to mitigate potentially serious accidents every time it’s called into action,” said Fred Andersky, Bendix director of government and industry affairs. “And the advantages and capabilities of Bendix ESP do more than make a difference today: They’re also the solid foundation upon which our current and next-generation driver assistance systems are built.”
