If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, then what's the value of a video clip? And whatever happened to rhetoric questions? Kidding aside Biglorryblog is impressed by the way that the Swedish truck maker and its US off-shoot Volvo Trucks North America is using new media like YouTube to promote its activities. That's using the old noggin! And what better medium to present the latest version of its Electronic Stability Program (ESP) unveiled back in 2008. And now there's a new version specifically for 6x2 and 4x2 rigid trucks with one or more trailers. Indeed the new ESP system can handle everything from tractors to multi-trailer rigs. But don't take BLB's word for it see it in action--the video clip says more than words ever can!
One major benefit of the new version is that it covers the majority of haz-chem vehicles like fuel tankers. Don't need ESP in a normal artic? Well you might when BLB tells you that single-vehicle accidents in which the truck rolls over or drives off the road account for half of all truck accidents involving fatalities or severe injuries... Now are you convinced?
"Reducing the risk of roll-over accidents and jack-knife situations is one of the most important measures for cutting the number of truck accidents," Carl-Johan Almqvist, Volvo's new traffic and product safety director tells me. "We are happy that we can now offer the system on our FE, FM and FH models so that more customers have the opportunity to exploit the system's advantages."
"Adopting ESP is an excellent investment for the haulage firm. Simulations of collision scenarios and physical tests with and without ESP show that the system improves all roll-over and skid scenarios studied," adds ESP project manager Martin Palming (that's him above). The ESP system is controlled by a computer that receives information from a variety of sources, including the ABS brakes' wheel sensors, the steering system and a gyroscope. Using this information the onboard computer can instantaneously determine if the truck is about to roll over or skid and responds. ESP responds with lightning speed by individually braking one or more wheels on the truck and trailer or, if necessary, the system can also lower engine revs.
In a skid, the main response is individual wheel braking, with the system braking the wheel or wheels that offer the best potential for bringing the vehicle safely back on course. And on a slippery road surface or in scenarios with a high risk of the vehicle rolling over, ESP reacts by lowering engine revs to reduce vehicle speed and braking individual wheels to stabilise the entire rig.
Its really amazing. I think this will be a new era for automobile technology.
Hello
Hey this is really very awesome and I don't have words to describe my feelings when I watched this video.Thank you very much for sharing this video with us.I like it very much.