Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC announced that sales of the Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program full-stability system have surpassed 200,000 units, reflecting continued growing support for full-stability technology in the commercial vehicle market.
Bendix was the first North American brake system manufacturer to make full-stability solutions widely available for the commercial vehicle market, introducing Bendix ESP in early 2005. It took six full years for Bendix to reach 100,000 units sold, and less than two years to double that figure.
“The record sales growth of Bendix ESP demonstrates that fleets, in increasing numbers, recognize the unequaled benefits of full-stability solutions,” said Scott Burkhart, Bendix vice president and general manager, Controls group. “The industry continues to turn to this technology to help mitigate accidents, improve highway safety, and deliver maximum return on investment.”
In May, the Bendix ESP system became standard on the majority of Peterbilt® Motors Company’s Class 8 trucks and tractors, including the newly announced 579. Peterbilt joins Mack and Volvo in making full stability standard on their highway tractors. Other manufacturers offering Bendix ESP include International, Kenworth, and Prevost.
The increasing adoption of Bendix ESP supports the company’s position on the recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding stability technology on commercial vehicles. If enacted, new NHTSA rules would require full-stability technology, known as Electronic Stability Control (ESC), on truck tractors and certain buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of greater than 11,793 kilograms (26,000 pounds). Bendix ESP is a full-stability, or ESC, system.
“Bendix has stated its preference for letting the market decide technology choices,” said Fred Andersky, Bendix director of government and industry affairs. “The pace of Bendix ESP sales reinforces our position that, if a regulation is forthcoming, ESC is the best technology choice. More than any other technology, ESC helps mitigate both rollover and loss-of-control situations.”
Full-stability technology, which addresses both roll and directional stability, is more comprehensive than roll-only stability, known as RSC. While roll-only options function on dry surfaces, full-stability systems recognize and mitigate conditions that could lead to rollover and loss-of-control situations sooner on dry surfaces, and in a wider range of driving and road conditions, including snowy, ice-covered, and slippery surfaces. Plus, ESC full-stability technology is the one stability technology available from all major OEMs.
ESC stability technology tends to be more effective than RSC. Full stability typically assesses situations quicker – thanks to additional sensors that measure driver intent and vehicle direction – and then delivers automatic brake interventions involving the steer, drive, and trailer axles. Roll-only systems typically don’t have the additional sensors and only apply the brakes on the drive and trailer axles. Slowing the vehicle quickly helps mitigate rollovers faster, while slowing and redirecting can help the driver maneuver in loss-of-control situations.
Bendix ESP is also the foundation for Bendix advanced active safety technologies, such as Bendix® Wingman® Advanced™ – A Collision Mitigation Technology, which combines both adaptive cruise control with braking and collision mitigation braking to help drivers mitigate or reduce the intensity of potential rear-end collision situations. In addition, full-stability technology will serve as the foundation for advanced safety concepts now in development.
Burkhart pointed out that full stability is outselling roll-only technology almost three to two.
“This is not a new technology, but one that has proven its value to fleets and drivers – both in terms of crash mitigation and ROI. The take rates for ESC have been increasing, a factor that Bendix believes confirms the value fleets see in the system, especially in today’s demanding new CSA – Compliance, Safety, Accountability – trucking environment,” he said.