Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems unveiled new offerings in vehicle energy management and active safety technology at the Mid-America Trucking Show last week.
The company introduced the Bendix Pneumatic Booster System (PBS), an air management system aimed at improving fuel economy and acceleration while reducing emissions. The PBS, which represents a diversification of Bendix’s vehicle air treatment business into powertrain components, is undergoing testing and field and engine benchmarking.
Placed near the air intake manifold on the engine, the PBS monitors the controller area network, or CAN, for specific signals indicating the need for system activation. Then the PBS injects compressed air from an auxiliary air tank into the engine manifold, delivering the desired amount of air the diesel combustion processes require. The system is intended to overcome turbo lag, which leads to a delay in response when a driver presses the accelerator. Two models of the PBS are available, reaching about 80 percent of engine applications from 4-liter displacement to 13 liters.
Bendix also introduced adaptive cruise control with braking. The Bendix Wingman ACB system uses a radar sensor mounted in the front of the vehicle and Bendix ESP full stability technology to assist drivers in maintaining set following distances between trucks and forward vehicles. With cruise control on and speed set, Bendix ACB warns drivers of vehicles that it is approaching too quickly and actively intervenes by reducing throttle, engaging the engine retarder and, if needed, automatically applying the foundation brakes to help maintain following distance.
Even when the vehicle is not in cruise control, the driver receives following distance alerts – a benefit in situations when cruise control should not be used, such as poor weather or congested traffic. Inclusion of Bendix ESP helps drivers mitigate rollover and loss-of-control situations in various road conditions.
Information, warnings and operation of the Bendix Wingman ACB system are incorporated into the vehicle dash. Drivers activate the system using existing cruise control switches. Truck owners can customize following distance using Bendix ACom diagnostic software (version 6.3 or higher), which also provides information on use of cruise control and on stability events.
The Bendix Wingman ACB is available for order today with vehicle delivery beginning in early 2009.
Among various other announcements on Wednesday, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake – a joint venture with Dana – said that U.S. Xpress in 2008 had purchased 575 factory-installed ADB22X air disc brakes and planned to buy “a substantial number of additional units over the next 12 months.”
