Wabco Holdings Inc. announced that it has entered into a long-term agreement with “a global manufacturer of commercial vehicles” to supply the vehicle maker's European operations with Wabco's OnGuardPLUS advanced emergency braking system (AEBS). The manufacturer was not named in a Wabco press release and the company told Fleet Owner the manufacturer wished to remain anonymous at this time.
The move marks the first adoption of OnGuardPlus technology in Europe, according to the Wabco announcement.
OnGuardPlus is the commercial vehicle industry's first system in compliance with the European Union’s expected regulation to make AEBS mandatory on new heavy commercial vehicles in all 27 EU member countries by November 2013, Wabco said. AEBS is also expected to become mandatory in up to 29 other countries worldwide where AEBS should be adopted per the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Regulation 13 for braking.
The technology reduces risk of colliding with moving vehicles ahead by decelerating the truck when vehicles ahead come to a standstill. It fully applies brakes in imminent collision situations and provides the driver with acoustic and visual warning. OnGuard autonomously initiates emergency braking, enables maximum possible deceleration and can bring the vehicle to a complete stop when approaching traffic congestion.
After a phase of ramping up, series production is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2013 and Wabco expects to furnish more than 50,000 OnGuardPlus systems annually in Europe.
“Wabco’s OnGuardPlus is the commercial vehicle industry’s first and most advanced emergency braking system, and it offers customers a significantly increased level of vehicle safety while also improving driver effectiveness,” said Jean-Christophe Figueroa, Wabco vice president, vehicle control systems. “This new business marks another major achievement in safety innovation through early adoption of OnGuardPlus in Europe, further strengthening Wabco’s technology leadership worldwide as we continue together with other participants in our industry to substantially reduce the number of commercial vehicle accidents by 2020.”
Wabco previously entered into a long-term agreement to supply OnGuardPlus systems to Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea’s largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles. AEBS is also expected to become mandatory in South Korea.
As of 2011, customers in North America have logged more than 2 billion highway miles protected by OnGuard safety systems, the company said.
