Meritor WABCO Demonstrates Proven Advanced Vehicle Control Technology at Industry Ride-n-Drive Event (July 18, 2006)
Meritor WABCO Demonstrates Proven Advanced Vehicle Control Technology at Industry Ride-and-Drive Event WASHINGTON, D.C. (July
18, 2006)
Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems provided members of Congress, their staffs and federal agency employees an up-close look at advanced vehicle control technology during a Ride and Drive event, sponsored
by the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). During the event, Meritor WABCO demonstrated its advanced vehicle control technologies and its fundamental contribution to advancing commercial vehicle safety.
“We must raise awareness of the importance of these technologies not only to
the safety of commercial vehicles, but to the positive influence their utilization
can have on operation costs and overall commerce,” said Jon Morrison,
general manager of Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems.
Technologies featured at the event were Meritor WABCO’s stability enhancement and collision mitigation systems. The company’s stability enhancement systems offer a multifaceted approach to reducing rollovers with three unique options: Roll Stability Control (RSC), Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) and Roll Stability Support (RSS). The Collision Mitigation System (CMS) is an extension of the Adaptive Cruise Control/Collision Warning System.
The RSC system was introduced in 2002 and today is operating successfully
on tens of thousands of vehicles across North America. Since that time, RSS
a dedicated trailer stability support system was introduced and has been engineered into many trailer OEMs at the request of fleets. ESC, which offers additional steering angle and yaw rate sensing, and CMS, an extension of the Adaptive Cruise Control system, have both been developed as additional offerings fleets can choose depending on their operations’ requirements.
With Meritor WABCO’s success in truck tractor stability enhancement, the evolution to other vehicles has been a natural progression. In addition to commercial truck-tractor applications, the company’s stability enhancement systems are available for fire/emergency vehicles. Future applications of Meritor WABCO’s stability vehicle control systems include a larger variety of straight trucks, recreation vehicles and other specialty vehicles.
“Being the first to offer stability enhancement systems to the commercial vehicle industry, we have a great deal of road-proven experience with onhighway applications,” said Morrison. “This has allowed us to apply the technology to other vehicle applications where reducing the risk of rollover is desirable."
Through the joint venture’s parents ArvinMeritor and WABCO, Meritor WABCO
offers a comprehensive portfolio of truck, tractor and trailer braking system technologies, with the newest addition being air disc brakes. The combination of stability enhancement systems combined with the wide array of air disc brake offerings, allows the company to offer truck operators several options to meet more stringent stopping requirements.
Vehicle Control Technologies Featured at MEMA Event
Roll Stability Control (RSC) is integral to the anti-lock braking system (ABS). An accelerometer is mounted directly to the electronic control unit (ECU) to monitor the vehicle’s lateral acceleration. The RSC system focuses on a vehicle’s center of gravity, the lateral acceleration threshold where rollover may occur and wheel speed. When critical lateral acceleration thresholds are exceeded, RSC intervenes by reducing engine torque, and engaging the engine retarder, while automatically applying drive axle and trailer brakes. The deceleration resulting from the intervention reduces the vehicle speed and rollover threshold allowing improved maneuverability and stability.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) combines the proven features of the company’s RSC system with added yaw (rotational) sensing. This improvesthe vehicle handling and performance if there is an impending loss of controldue to rotational forces. These forces may occur as a result of rapid lane
change, or cornering maneuvers on slippery surfaces.
Roll Stability Support (RSS) is an independent system for trailers and offers
electronic assistance to reduce the likelihood of rollover. The technology is integrated in the trailer ABS system, requiring no additional hardware. Similar
to RSC, RSS focuses on the lateral acceleration and wheel speed, monitoring
the critical lateral acceleration limit threshold. If this limit is exceeded, the
trailer brakes are automatically applied helping to reduce the vehicle’s speed.
Collision Mitigation System (CMS) is an extension of the Meritor WABCO Adaptive Cruise Control/Collision Warning System. The system is based on forward-looking radar sensor technology and includes a number of
functionalities. Together with the Meritor WABCO antilock braking system, the CMS automatically commands a partial foundation brake application if a potential frontal impact situation is detected. In addition, while in cruise control mode, the system automatically tries to maintain a safe following distance to a front target vehicle by controlling engine brake and making foundation brake applications. Finally, the system is capable of providing visual, audio and tactile warnings if a potentially dangerous frontal situation is detected while
driving.
Stability enhancement systems provide additional driver assistance. However,
no system can prevent loss of control, or rollover in all driving conditions. It
remains the responsibility of the driver to ensure that the physical limits of the
vehicle are not exceeded.
Meritor WABCO1 is a joint venture of ArvinMeritor, (NYSE:ARM) and the
WABCO Automotive Products Group of American Standard Companies Inc. (NYSE:ASD).WABCO, the vehicle control systems business of American Standard Companies, is one of the world's leading producers of electronic
braking, stability, suspension and transmission control systems for heavy duty
commercial vehicles. WABCO products are also increasingly used in luxury cars and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Customers include the world’s leading commercial truck, trailer, bus and passenger car manufacturers. Founded in the US in 1869 as Westinghouse Air Brake Company, WABCO was acquired by American Standard in 1968. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the
business today employs nearly 7000 people in 34 office and production facilities worldwide. In 2005, WABCO contributed US$1,80 billion to American Standard’s total sales of more than US$10,30 billion. Website: www.wabcoauto.com.
ArvinMeritor, Inc. is a premier $8.8 billion global supplier of a broad range of integrated systems, modules and components to the motor vehicle industry. The company serves light vehicle, commercial truck, trailer and specialty original equipment manufacturers and certain aftermarkets. Headquartered in Troy, Mich., ArvinMeritor employs approximately 29,000 people at more than 120 manufacturing facilities in 25 countries. ArvinMeritor common stock is
traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ARM. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at: www.arvinmeritor.com.
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1Meritor WABCO products are available in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
CONTACT: Christina A. Kraning
(248) 435-1294
mailto:christina.kraning@arvinmeritor.com
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