Freightliner Offers Lane Guidance System for Heavy-Duty Trucks / Technology Detects Lane Drift, Warns Driver with 'Rumble Strip' Sound

ORLANDO, Fla. (PROTEXT) - Freightliner Corporation's arsenalof truck safety systems has an exciting new addition -- LaneGuidance, a lane departure warning system. To be available onCentury Class S/T, Columbia and Argosy heavy-duty trucks, LaneGuidance monitors the truck's position relative to lane markings,then sounds an audible warning when the truck is about to strayoutside its lane. The advanced system is designed to preventaccidents by warning distracted or inattentive drivers ofunintended lane changes. "Lane Guidance is intended to head off a dangerous trafficsituation before it has a chance to occur," said Gary Rossow,Director of Government Technical Affairs for FreightlinerCorporation. "There is no substitute for a well-rested, alertdriver, but Lane Guidance adds an extra measure of safety." The Lane Guidance system consists of a digital camera, mountedon the windshield inside the cab; a Central Processing Unit (CPU)located in the overhead console; two speakers located in theleft- and right-side doors and associated wiring. The camera continually gathers visual data, digitizes them andfeeds them into the CPU. Using proprietary DaimlerChrysler imagerecognition software and a lane recognition algorithm, the CPUdetermines if a vehicle is drifting too close to the lanemarkings. When this occurs -- and if the driver has not activatedthe turn signal -- the CPU sends a signal to emit a distinctive"rumble strip" sound. When the truck is straying to the left, the warning soundcomes from the left speaker. When the truck is straying to theright, it comes from the right speaker. The driver intuitivelysteers away from the side of the sound. The "rumble strip" soundwas chosen after research showed that it effectively warneddrivers without causing them to overreact. Lane Guidance works both day and night and in most inclementweather conditions. The system tracks most types of lane markingscommon in North America, including dashes and dot-type reflectivemarkings (commonly called "bot dots"). A change of lane width onthe road or merging/splitting of the lane should not cause analarm. The system is designed to be maintenance free. A warning lighton the dash serves to indicate any problems with the system. LaneGuidance will stand up to the normal rigors of the truckenvironment such as vibration, shock, temperature, humidity anddust. The Lane Guidance System is a joint development among OdeticsITS Inc., DaimlerChrysler Research, and Freightliner Corporation. "Lane Guidance is an exciting new technology that holdstremendous potential for further increasing heavy-duty trucksafety," Rossow said. Production begins in the second quarter of 2000. Lane Guidance joins a multitude of active and passive safetysystems available from Freightliner. Freightliner also offers itsRoll Advisor & Control system, which guards against vehiclerollover, and the Eaton Vorad EVT-300 Collision Warning system,which warns of objects ahead and to the side of the truck. An advanced electronic braking system (EBS) -- available onthe Century Class S/T and Argosy -- improves braking control,lessens brake maintenance requirements, compensates for brakefade and helps reduce stopping distance. "Safety is the central design criterion of all Freightlinervehicles," Rossow said. "Freightliner encourages the adoption ofonboard truck safety systems and urges the federal government togrant tax and other incentives for truck fleets employing thesetechnologies." Freightliner Corporation, headquartered in Portland, Oregon,is the leading heavy truck manufacturer in North America.Freightliner produces and markets Class 3-8 trucks under theFreightliner, Sterling, American LaFrance and Thomas Built Busesnameplates and is a DaimlerChrysler company, the world's leadingcommercial vehicle manufacturer. On the Internet Visit Freightliner Corporation's Web Site atwww.freightliner.com for additional Freightliner news. otsOriginal Text Service: Freightliner Corporation Internet:http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: Chris Brandt of FreightlinerCorporation, 503-735-5471, or fax, 503-735-5775, orchrisbrandt@freightliner.com Web site:http://www.freightliner.com

Subscribers please note that material bearing the slug"PROTEXT" is not part of CTK's news service and is not to bepublished under the "CTK" slug. Protext is a commercial serviceproviding distribution of press releases from clients, who areidentified in the text of Protext reports and who bear fullresponsibility for their contents.

PROTEXT