A new white paper from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, Elyria OH, presents information and data about two types of stability systems--roll-only systems, known as roll stability control/program (RSC/RSP), and full-stability technology, also called electronic stability program/control (ESP/ESC).
Fred Andersky, controls marketing director, and Rick Conklin, product manager, discussed the white paper, Road Map for the Future--Making the Case for Full Stability, in a July 29 press conference. They pointed out that not all stability systems have the same capabilities. A "full" system installed on tractors gathers information through a variety of sensors, has the ability to read the information, and then can prompt an intervention. "The more sensors you have, the more insight is gathered," Andersky said.
Although vehicle rollovers do occur when drivers are making turns, the men pointed out that a recent study commissioned by the National Tank Truck Carriers revealed that 53.2 percent of rollovers occur on a straight road. That statistic reinforces the need for a stability system that takes a variety of accident situations into account.
"Today’s trucking environment is fraught with an increasing number of factors that contribute to accidents--new drivers with limited experience, larger multi-trailer vehicles, increased load variability, the additional demands on drivers, increased traffic density, numerous in-the-cab distractions, and more," the white paper information states. "Today’s fleets need every opportunity to enhance their overall safety performance, while still meeting the demands of their jobs and the needs of their customers. Stability technologies can give them an advantage."
The white paper can be seen on the Bendix Web site at bendix.com.