Detroit Adds Industry-First Features to Suite of Safety Systems

Detroit has added “industry-first” capabilities to its suite of safety systems, including active speed intervention, lane assist with automatic braking, and brake hold mode.

Available for the Freightliner Cascadia and the Western Star 49X spec’d with a Detroit powertrain, the new Detroit Assurance features to reduce driver strain and fatigue are:

Active Speed Intervention

If the truck exceeds the posted speed limit, ASI issues visual and auditory warnings to actively alert the driver. Once the warning is issued and depending on how far above the truck is over the speed limit, ASI will go into effect and de-throttle the engine for two seconds, adjust adaptive cruise control to the posted speed limit, or cancel ACC.

In addition to helping remind drivers of posted speed limits, ASI can be a valuable training aid for fleet managers to help drivers reduce the risk of speed-related accidents, Detroit officials said in a press release. ASI is useful on trucks that routinely travel in and out of various speed zones throughout the day.

Active Lane Assist with Auto Stop

Exclusively available with the Freightliner Cascadia, ALA with auto stop actively brakes the truck to a safe stop rather than letting the truck roll to a stop in case of an incapacitated driver or if the driver’s hands are off the steering wheel for more than 60 seconds, which can help protect the driver as well as other vehicles on the road.

When ALA’s auto stop function activates, lane keep assist (LKA) keeps the truck centered in its lane while the truck safely and gradually brakes, all the way down to 0 mph. After coming to a stop, the vehicle doors automatically un-lock and the interior lights flash in an S.O.S sequence, alerting other motorists that assistance is required.

Brake Hold Mode

After coming to a stop, the driver further presses the brake pedal to activate the brake hold mode function, reducing the need for the driver to continually press the brake pedal down in prolonged periods of standstill. The brake will not get deactivated if the driver’s foot is removed from the brake pedal due to fatigue or slippage. Tapping the brake pedal or pressing the accelerator starts moving the truck again. This is particularly driver friendly in work environments that involve waiting periods in the truck while at a standstill, such as at weigh scales and in heavy traffic.

The Detroit Connect portal also offers safety insights into driver behavior and safety critical information when Detroit Assurance features are activated, such as providing a detailed event report when active lane assist with auto stop brings the vehicle to a complete stop. With this information, fleets can intervene to help their drivers that require immediate assistance, Detroit officials said.