The need for technical training and support has never been greater and is why Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC maintains its commitment to driver safety in support of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Program.
The CVSA initiative, now in its 13th year, includes the annual Operation Safe Driver Week, taking place July 12-18. The event focuses on helping reduce the number of crashes, deaths, and injuries involving large trucks, buses, and passenger vehicles caused by unsafe behaviors by both commercial and passenger vehicle drivers.
“All of us at Bendix proudly support CVSA’s critical mission, one made ever more important as fleets have continued to operate, delivering essential supplies throughout the pandemic. We remain as dedicated as ever to raising awareness and to offering tools and training that reinforce safe driving practices,” said Barbara L. Gould, Bendix director of corporate communications. “While commercial vehicle safety on the highway starts with drivers, at Bendix
it begins with strong partnerships and ongoing communication – at the OE, with fleets and owner operators, with technicians, and with our wide-ranging network of aftermarket distribution channel partners.”
She continued, “We design technology and training – including the always-growing curriculum on brake-school.com, our “Truck Talk with Bendix” podcasts, and more – aimed to help drivers anticipate and respond to the situations they encounter. Through our commitment to integrated systems advancement, distance learning opportunities, and ongoing education, Bendix has the backs of the men and women piloting commercial vehicles all across North America.”
Statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) 2019 Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics have documented the continued rise in the number of vehicles and miles traveled in recent years. In 2017, more than 272 million vehicles were registered in the United States, an increase of close to 5% – or 12 million – from 2014. The 2017 number includes 13.2 million trucks and buses, up 12%, or 1.4 million from 2014. Also in 2017, motor vehicles traveled 3,212 billion vehicle miles, a 6% increase from 2014. Large trucks and buses accounted for close to 10% of those miles.
CVSA works with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration during Operation Safe Driver Week to promote traffic law and safety belt enforcement, operating safely around commercial vehicles, roadside inspections, regulatory compliance, and commercial driver education.
Advanced Wheel-End Technologies
Advanced safety technologies from Bendix, beginning with wheel-end solutions, are engineered to assist drivers in the always-changing traffic conditions that mark our nation’s roadways.
Bendix wheel-end technologies include the industry-leading Bendix® ADB22X® air disc brake, and the Bendix® ADB22X®-LT trailer air disc brake for surer, straighter stops; and the Bendix® ES™ (Extended Service) family of light and durable foundation drum brakes, bundled with the Versajust® slack adjuster and EnduraSure™ spring brakes.
Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake (BSFB) has produced more than 3.5 million ADB22X units since launching the brake in 2005, reflecting escalating demand for air disc brakes in the commercial vehicle industry. Worldwide, Bendix and its parent company, Knorr-Bremse, are the clear global leader in air disc brake production at more than 40 million and counting.
“Proper maintenance of drum and air disc brake systems is essential for sustaining the ongoing performance and safety of these technologies. That includes selecting ‘like-for-like’ OE replacement friction,” said Keith McComsey, BSFB director of marketing and customer solutions, Wheel-End. “Longer stopping distances can result from the wrong friction, and higher replacement part costs and increased downtime are negative consequences as well.”
Next-Gen Driver Assistance
The basis for a host of higher-level safety technologies is the Bendix® ESP® Electronic Stability Program full-stability system – which helps to address both roll and directional instability through sensors that recognize and mitigate conditions that could lead to rollover or loss of control. One of those technologies is Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™, the company’s flagship advanced driver assistance solution, which is built on the Bendix® ESP® foundation.
Integrating a forward-facing camera and radar with the vehicle’s brake system into a comprehensive driver assistance program, Wingman Fusion gathers input through this suite of sensors working together. The result is a system that creates a detailed data picture using deep, multisystem integration, setting it apart from radar-only systems.
Other proven Bendix technologies, including the Bendix™ BlindSpotter® Side Object Detection System and SafetyDirect® by Bendix CVS, complement these solutions. BlindSpotter is designed to alert drivers to vehicles or objects in adjacent lanes to help drivers mitigate sideswipe crashes. SafetyDirect wirelessly and automatically transmits near real-time data and event-based information – including video – to fleet offices for analysis via a user-friendly web portal. Both technologies operate independently of Wingman Fusion.
Drivers in Control
Bendix stresses that no technology can replace a skilled, professional driver practicing safe driving habits and backed by proactive, ongoing training programs. These safety technologies are not meant to enable or encourage aggressive driving, but to support safe driving practices. Responsibility for the safe operation of any commercial vehicle remains with the driver at all times.
“All Bendix safety systems – whether they actively intervene, provide warnings, or improve stopping power – are ultimately designed to supplement safe driving practices,” Gould said. “Our focus remains on providing drivers and fleets with the tools they need to help keep them on the road and operating safely.”
Bendix hosts an extensive schedule of on-site demonstrations and ride-and-drive training sessions – currently paused because of the pandemic – to familiarize drivers with Bendix’s new technologies as adoption increases.
In addition, Bendix also produces videos demonstrating its systems and explaining the in- cab experience; the videos are accessible at Bendix’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/user/bendixvideos).
Resources for Technical and Maintenance Professionals
Proper vehicle maintenance performed by trained, knowledgeable technicians is essential to maximizing highway safety. With the importance of upkeep in mind, Bendix has for years offered an expanding array of in-person and online education programs to support maintenance professionals and those responsible for ongoing commercial vehicle safety.
Bendix’s in-person, hands-on training efforts – including the long-running Bendix® Brake Training School, conducted at locations across the United States; on-site maintenance demonstrations and detailed system explorations; plus on-site technician training covering troubleshooting and system maintenance – are postponed because of the pandemic and will restart when it’s safe to do so. At the same time, the company’s robust distance-learning resources stand as an increasingly vital tool for keeping North America’s fleets and truck drivers rolling safely.
These resources include the free Bendix On-Line Brake School at brake-school.com, which continues to serve as a 24/7/365 training portal with dozens of maintenance courses and tests for sharpening technical knowledge and skills. Nearly 90 training courses and custom education plans are available for fleets and industry organizations. Students can access the curriculum covering the full spectrum of braking and active vehicle safety system product topics, all developed by the team at Bendix. Launched in 2013, the online resource recently surpassed 100,000 registered users.
Meanwhile, the company’s popular podcast, “Truck Talk with Bendix,” is available via Google Play, Apple Podcasts®, and Stitcher. It’s always accessible as well on Bendix’s Knowledge Dock® (knowledge-dock.com), which also hosts continuously updated videos, white papers, and blog posts addressing maintenance and other critical topics for the commercial vehicle. In addition, the site maintains the company’s informative “Tech Tips” series archive.
Through these efforts, Bendix delivers on areas critical to fleet success: safety, vehicle performance and efficiency; lowering total cost of operation; and unparalleled post-sales support. In doing so, the company aims to strengthen return on investment in advanced, effective commercial vehicle safety systems, and to enhance the safety of North America’s roads.
SOURCE: Bendix
