Increased road safety with more braking functions as standard

In order to further contribute to increased road safety, Volvo Trucks will include additional safety functions as standard on its FM and FH ranges for the European market.

With effect from March 2007, if a customer chooses a truck with EBS (Electronically-controlled Brake System) in base form, more functions will now included at no extra cost. Among the additional features provided are ‘Hill Start Aid’, which prevents the truck from rolling backward when starting on an uphill gradient, and ‘Wheel Brake Monitoring’ which alerts the driver if the brake force on any wheel suddenly drops.

The EBS system was previously offered in a choice of three program packages – Standard, Medium and High. The ‘Standard’ package is included as before in the base version, but from March all the functions from the ‘Medium’ package will be added at no extra cost. This means that the base version will be upgraded with six new functions, available for both tractors and rigids.

“We are now providing our customers with an extremely high safety level as standard, no matter the type of truck they order,” says Lars-Göran Löwenadler, safety director at Volvo Trucks. “This is entirely in line with our constant determination to increase safety for drivers and other road-users alike.”

EBS adjusts braking effect to suit the situation

EBS is integrated into the truck’s electronic system. A number of sensors and valves monitor and regulate the braking system, making it possible for the wheel brakes and auxiliary brakes to interact within the shortest possible braking distance in all situations. Braking force is also distributed optimally between the tractor and trailer to maintain the best possible stability during braking, which is of considerable help, not least on downhill stretches.

The six functions that will be added to the base range at no extra cost are :

- Hill Start Aid

This system makes it easier to move off on an uphill gradient by automatically maintaining brake pressure until the engine has built up sufficient torque to move the truck forward without rolling backwards. This is a particularly valuable feature when hauling a heavy load.

- Panic Brake Assistance

Brake pressure is boosted in a emergency braking situation when the system registers that the driver presses the brake pedal unusually quickly. This helps cut the stopping distance.

- Wheel Brake Monitoring

If any of the wheel brakes loses braking effect relative to the others – something that may be difficult for the driver to observe – a warning signal appears in the instrument panel.

- Lining Wear Analysis

This calculates the remaining mileage left in the brake pads.

- Drag Torque Control

If the driver suddenly takes his foot off the accelerator, this system prevents the driven wheels from losing grip

- Differential Lock Control

This automatically locks the differential at speeds below 15 km/h (approx 10mph)

EBS High with ESP helps reduce the risk of accidents

The third program package - ‘High’ - includes ESP (Electronic Stability Program). Using a number of sensors, ESP registers the driver’s actions and the truck’s behaviour on the road.

The system monitors, among other things, the degree of oversteer and understeer, wheel speed and sudden changes in direction. Based on this information, ESP can calculate whether there is a risk that the vehicle might roll over. The system also has the ability to counteract any jack-knifing or skidding tendency by braking one or more wheels to restore stability. In certain situations the trailer is also braked and, if necessary, engine torque is reduced too.

EBS High with ESP can be ordered for air-suspended tractors with 4x2, 6x2 and 6x4 drive.