Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that the fourth generation of its advanced life-saving safety system – Active Brake Assist 4 (ABA 4) – will be fitted as standard on new Toursimo coaches from 2019.
The system, first available a decade ago as an option, has now been upgraded and ABA 4 for the first time also automatically initiates a braking manoeuvre for pedestrians in the form of partial braking.
Meanwhile, Citaro buses will have the option a new Preventive Brake Assist, the first active braking assistance system in this category of vehicles.
If there is a critical risk of collision, the system warns the driver and initiates partial braking at the same time.
Finally, Mercedes-Benz is launching the optional Sideguard Assist, the first turning assistance system for buses and coaches, giving the driver a visual warning.
With these three assistance systems, Mercedes-Benz is highlighting their pioneering role in active safety.
ABA 4 is the first emergency braking assistant to automatically initiate a braking manoeuvre for pedestrians. In this case, all options are open to the driver: warn the pedestrian using the horn, evade them or carry out an emergency stop. The basis for ABA 4 is the multi-mode radar system with a combination of long-range and short-range radar.
With Preventive Brake Assist, the first active braking assistance for buses, the new assistance system warns of a potential collision with moving pedestrians as well as with stationary or moving objects, and automatically initiates partial braking if there is a critical risk of collision.
The warning cascade and the braking intervention are designed for operations in city traffic.
This is why Preventive Brake Assist intentionally does not perform automatic emergency stops. This reduces the risk of injury for passengers in the bus, in particular for standing passengers. The driver still has the option of an emergency stop.
