Daimler Trucks North America has announced that the Detroit Assurance 4.0 collision mitigation system and Meritor EX+L air disc brakes are standard on all new Freightliner Cascadia truck models.

“The safety of all drivers on the road – whether behind the wheel of a truck or in a passenger vehicle – has always been one of our key priorities. We have made significant enhancements to our trucks that are designed to reduce or mitigate collisions,” said Kelly Gedert, director of product marketing for Freightliner and Detroit Components. “We are committed to continuing to test and develop technologies that can improve the safety of commercial vehicles.”

The Detroit Assurance 4.0 suite of safety systems includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Active Brake Assist 4.0. ACC helps drivers maintain a safe, continuous following distance and can be adjusted to following distances between 2.4 and 3.6 seconds. The Detroit Assurance 4.0 collision mitigation system is radar-based and always on. Its bumper-mounted radar tracks the distance from the front of the truck to other vehicles in its path.

When a truck gets too close to another vehicle, the driver first receives an audible alarm with visual warning, followed by partial braking, and finally full active braking, where the system slows the truck using the transmission, engine brake and service brakes. In addition to the standard collision mitigation system, the new Cascadia can be spec’d with other optional safety features, such as Lane Departure Warning and Side Object Detection systems.

Meritor Air Disc Brakes

Additionally, Meritor EX+L air disc brakes will now be standard on all wheel positions for the new Cascadia starting in spring 2018. The EX+L has been weight-optimized and was designed to be the industry’s lightest truck air disc brake, according to DTNA. It features a gear-synchronized twin piston design that adjusts both pistons simultaneously, resulting in better performance and uniform pad wear. The internal adjuster mechanism’s double-sealing technology does not require periodic lubrication, and enhances reliability by keeping contaminants out.

“Air disc brakes not only provide a shorter stopping distance, but they are best-suited to support our safety innovations,” said Gedert. “Our partnership with Meritor only adds to the new Cascadia being one of the safest, best-performing trucks on the road today.”