Intellipark helps prevent rollaway and runaway crashes by automatically setting the parking brake if the driver exits the vehicle without setting it. Additionally, it offers immediate driver-friendly benefits, such as ease of use and clear indication of parking brake status.
“Developing advanced safety technologies that help keep student passengers safe and support school bus drivers is a critical mission at Bendix, and we’re delighted to combine efforts with Thomas Built Buses in this important step,” says Scott Burkhart, Bendix vice president – sales, marketing, and business development. “Data show there’s no safer option for transporting students to and from school, but even a single accident is one too many. Both in terms of safety and driver satisfaction, the Bendix Intellipark Electronic Parking Brake is there to assist the legion of men and women who travel our roads every day doing their vital, challenging job.”
Intellipark’s rollaway prevention capability is made possible through interlocks – installed in critical areas such as vehicle speed, ignition, foot brake, and door – that can engage the parking brake electronically in circumstances where the system determines that the vehicle is stationary and should have the park brakes activated. Bendix says the custom interlocks also prevent unintentional park brake release and ensure best practices are utilized prior to releasing the parking brake.
Even if the system is never called upon to activate in a potential rollaway situation, it still delivers improvements to drivers, Bendix says. Intellipark replaces the traditional yellow push/pull knob with an easy-to-flip switch that requires less effort and doesn’t deliver the popping “sting” that comes with manually activating a 120-psi hand-controlled brake valve.
The company adds the new switch still maintains the familiar yellow symbols and text, along with integrated LEDs that clearly indicate the status of the parking brake. It also offers increased durability and additional cycles over the current pneumatic system.
“Along with the safety benefits, Bendix engineered Intellipark with a close eye on improving the driving experience for the professionals behind the wheel,” says Rebecca Carter, Bendix product manager for specialty valves. “Refining the human interface is an important matter to people who spend a lot of time behind the wheel of an air-braked vehicle. Based on the extensive testing of Intellipark that we’ve done on the road with drivers, the enhanced ergonomic design – along with being able to tell at a glance whether the parking brake is set or not – truly raises the bar.”
In addition to school buses, Bendix says Intellipark can be used on almost any air-braked vehicle, including tractor-trailers, single-unit trucks, and motorcoaches. School districts and fleets can use information from the data Intellipark provides through Bendix SafetyDirect to enhance their safety programs and driver training efforts.
Bendix stresses that, while Intellipark is designed to help drivers mitigate a variety of unsafe situations, no technology replaces the need for safe drivers practicing safe driving habits, or the support of ongoing, proactive driver training.
