“Safety is one of Volvo Trucks’ core values. We want to reward good ideas that can help improve traffic safety. This year’s award winners have engineered a simple, smart solution that addresses a vital need,” says Carl Johan Almqvist, Traffic and Product Safety Director at Volvo Trucks and a member of the EuroTra jury.
The system is primarily designed for tankers but can, in principle, be used for all transport operations involving trucks and trailers. It consists of a sensor on the trailer’s rear axle and a receiver in the cab. The sensor monitors the trailer’s lateral movements and alerts the driver via audio and light signals if the rig is behaving abnormally and risks rolling over. This can happen, for instance, if a curve is taken at excessive speed. The system is straightforward and can be retrofitted to existing trucks at low cost. It is also an ideal training tool, helping to improve driver understanding of how roll-over accidents can be avoided.
“In modern trucks fitted with ESP, the driver is alerted when a roll-over or skid is imminent, and the system simultaneously applies the brakes in a controlled manner to prevent an accident,” explains Carl Johan Almqvist. “But for older trucks, this system is an excellent alternative.”
EuroTra is an international network of training organisations in the transport and logistics industry. In collaboration with Volvo Trucks, EuroTra issues the EuroTra Safety and Innovation Award once a year to a company that has made a substantial contribution to improved traffic safety or enhanced driver working environment.
November 19, 2010
Volvo Trucks’ ESP system
Volvo’s ESP (Electronic Stability Program) uses several sensors to register the driver’s behaviour and the truck’s responses on the road. The system monitors information such as the degree of oversteer and understeer, wheel speed and sudden changes in direction. Based on this data, the ESP system works out whether the vehicle is at risk of rolling over. The system can also counteract jack-knifing and skidding by braking one or more wheels in order to restore stability. Volvo is the only truck manufacturer in the world to offer ESP on both tractors and rigids with single or multiple trailers.
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For further information, please contact:
Marie Vassiliadis, Media Relations Europe, phone +46 31 322 41 27, e-mail
marie.vassiliadis@volvo.com
