Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems has delivered its first antilock braking systems (ABS) units with power line carrier (PLC) capability. Bendix' new line of ABS, the MC-30 and EC-30, satisfies the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) trailer warning lamp requirement for ABS. It also permits advanced communication between the tractor and trailer and total vehicle diagnostics. The NHTSA mandate requiring all towing vehicles and trailers to incorporate PLC takes effect for new vehicles March 1, 2001.
The industry standard requires the trailer ABS to contain a sender in its trailer electronic control unit (MC-30) and a receiver in the tractor unit (EC-30), allowing signals to be transmitted via the ABS power wire. MC-30 and EC-30 systems meet the NHTSA mandate for a dashboard light indicating ABS status. The EC-30 system controls the dash-mounted trailer ABS warning lamp without changing current ABS or tractor and trailer wiring requirements and still allowing for combination of old and new vehicles.
Bendix began delivering MC-30 ABS units equipped with PLC in August 2000.