Volvo: Tests With Tired Drivers Increase Traffic Safety
February 28 2008 - 8:48AM
Business Wire
Regulatory News: Today, the Swedish government approved a request
for special permission to drive on public roadways with fatigued
drivers. This decision means that Volvo Trucks' work with a safety
system that alerts tired drivers can enter the final phase. Fatigue
and inattentiveness, as well as alcohol, are the most common causes
of traffic accidents. Research shows that driver fatigue is the
cause of 20% or more of the accidents that occur in traffic. This
fact is a driving force behind Volvo Trucks' development of new
safety functions for trucks. "Our request for an exemption from
normal traffic regulations is part of our development of technical
systems that detect and warn a driver of fatigue and
inattentiveness in traffic. The objective is to make these safety
systems available in our trucks," says Lars-Goran Lowenadler,
Safety Director at Volvo Trucks. The safety function that Volvo
Trucks would now like to test is based on a system that monitors
the way in which the driver operates the vehicle. If the driver
becomes inattentive, the vehicle's pattern of movement changes.
This is registered by the system and the driver is alerted. "The
system has reached a stage where all that remains to be done is a
final check. The point is to provide a warning at the right moment
but not unnecessarily. In order for the tests to be as credible and
realistic as possible, we would like to drive on actual roads.
There are simply no test tracks that are adequate," Lars-Goran
Lowenadler continues. One prerequisite for special permission for
testing is that the tests currently being planned are conducted
with rigorous safety measures. Driving will be done on specially
selected sections of roads that are dual carriageways and there
will be two drivers in each vehicle. "The fatigued driver will be
backed-up by a driver who is rested and alert and who can quickly
take control of the vehicle. In addition, there will be test leader
in the cab who will monitor the entire test drive. The truck will
also be clearly marked with rotating warning lamps and will be
followed by a car that alerts other motorists that a test is
underway". Authorisation to conduct the testing applies to selected
sections of the E6 motorway and National highway 40. The final
sections of the roads to be used will be decided at the time each
test is conducted in consultation with the regional office of the
Swedish National Road Administration and local police authorities.
February 28, 2008 Safety features resulting from Volvo Trucks'
development work and which are already available on today's trucks
include: Lane Keeping Support: a system that registers traffic lane
marking lines, monitors the vehicle's position and alerts the
driver if the vehicle is moving laterally and is about to leave the
lane in which it is travelling. Adaptive Cruise Control: a
radar-controlled cruise control system that helps ensure that the
truck maintains the proper distance to the vehicle ahead. A time
interval chosen by the driver is automatically kept constant by the
engine and brake management systems. ESP: a stability control
system for tractor-trailer rigs that applies the brakes to the
tractor's wheels individually if there is a risk of a roll-over or
skidding and which intervenes if the driver is about to lose
control of the vehicle. Visit
http://www.thenewsmarket.com/volvogroup for video material about
the Volvo Group's various production facilities and products. You
can download pictorial information in the form of MPEG2 files, or
order the material on a Beta cassette. Registration and ordering
video material is free-of-charge for the media. Volvo Trucks
(NASDAQ:VOLV) (STO:VOLVA) (STO:VOLVB) provides complete transport
solutions for professional and business-driven customers. The
company offers a full range of medium to heavy duty trucks, with a
strong global network of 3,000 service points in more than 130
countries. In 2007 Volvo Trucks sold more than 100,000 trucks
worldwide. Volvo Trucks is a part of the Volvo Group, one of the
world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction
equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications,
aerospace components and services. The Group also provides
solutions for financing and service. This information was brought
to you by Cision http://newsroom.cision.com Regulatory News: Today,
the Swedish government approved a request for special permission to
drive on public roadways with fatigued drivers. This decision means
that Volvo Trucks� work with a safety system that alerts tired
drivers can enter the final phase. Fatigue and inattentiveness, as
well as alcohol, are the most common causes of traffic accidents.
Research shows that driver fatigue is the cause of 20% or more of
the accidents that occur in traffic. This fact is a driving force
behind Volvo Trucks� development of new safety functions for
trucks. �Our request for an exemption from normal traffic
regulations is part of our development of technical systems that
detect and warn a driver of fatigue and inattentiveness in traffic.
The objective is to make these safety systems available in our
trucks,� says Lars-G�ran L�wenadler, Safety Director at Volvo
Trucks. The safety function that Volvo Trucks would now like to
test is based on a system that monitors the way in which the driver
operates the vehicle. If the driver becomes inattentive, the
vehicle�s pattern of movement changes. This is registered by the
system and the driver is alerted. �The system has reached a stage
where all that remains to be done is a final check. The point is to
provide a warning at the right moment but not unnecessarily. In
order for the tests to be as credible and realistic as possible, we
would like to drive on actual roads. There are simply no test
tracks that are adequate,� Lars-G�ran L�wenadler continues. One
prerequisite for special permission for testing is that the tests
currently being planned are conducted with rigorous safety
measures. Driving will be done on specially selected sections of
roads that are dual carriageways and there will be two drivers in
each vehicle. �The fatigued driver will be backed-up by a driver
who is rested and alert and who can quickly take control of the
vehicle. In addition, there will be test leader in the cab who will
monitor the entire test drive. The truck will also be clearly
marked with rotating warning lamps and will be followed by a car
that alerts other motorists that a test is underway�. Authorisation
to conduct the testing applies to selected sections of the E6
motorway and National highway 40. The final sections of the roads
to be used will be decided at the time each test is conducted in
consultation with the regional office of the Swedish National Road
Administration and local police authorities. February 28, 2008
Safety features resulting from Volvo Trucks� development work and
which are already available on today�s trucks include: Lane Keeping
Support: a system that registers traffic lane marking lines,
monitors the vehicle�s position and alerts the driver if the
vehicle is moving laterally and is about to leave the lane in which
it is travelling. Adaptive Cruise Control: a radar-controlled
cruise control system that helps ensure that the truck maintains
the proper distance to the vehicle ahead. A time interval chosen by
the driver is automatically kept constant by the engine and brake
management systems. ESP: a stability control system for
tractor-trailer rigs that applies the brakes to the tractor�s
wheels individually if there is a risk of a roll-over or skidding
and which intervenes if the driver is about to lose control of the
vehicle. Visit http://www.thenewsmarket.com/volvogroup for video
material about the Volvo Group�s various production facilities and
products. You can download pictorial information in the form of
MPEG2 files, or order the material on a Beta cassette. Registration
and ordering video material is free-of-charge for the media. Volvo
Trucks (NASDAQ:VOLV) (STO:VOLVA) (STO:VOLVB) provides complete
transport solutions for professional and business-driven customers.
The company offers a full range of medium to heavy duty trucks,
with a strong global network of 3,000 service points in more than
130 countries. In 2007 Volvo Trucks sold more than 100,000 trucks
worldwide. Volvo Trucks is a part of the Volvo Group, one of the
world�s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction
equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications,
aerospace components and services. The Group also provides
solutions for financing and service. This information was brought
to you by Cision http://newsroom.cision.com
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