Utilizing Future Vehicle Technology to Improve Safety

As in the past 60 years, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) design will continue to evolve incrementally over the next 5- to 20-year horizon. The CMVs of the near future will probably look very similar to today's vehicles. However, they will have much less resemblance under the hood to their forebears, and many of those new technologies will serve to improve the safety of the driver and the traveling public. In this paper, a number of factors that influence the design and operation of CMVs are explored. Although the focus is on freight-transporting vehicles, many of the issues discussed apply to passenger-carrying vehicles as well. Because CMVs are designed to serve the needs of commerce, a discussion of vehicle configuration, weights, and dimensions comes first. Next the major vehicular systems are discussed: brakes, tires, and engine and powertrain. The safety of the driver, from the standpoint of both driver protection and safety-enhancing technologies, is explored next, and finally, the connection between CMV maintenance and operational integrity is examined.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/conf/CP38.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309094224
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Freund, D M
  • Shaffer, S J
  • Loy, L W
  • Minor, L W
• Conference:
  • Future Truck and Bus Safety Research Opportunities
  • Location: Arlington Virginia, United States
  • Date: 2005-3-23 to 2005-3-24
• Publication Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 74-83
• Monograph Title: Future Truck and Bus Safety Research Opportunities
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings
  • Issue Number: 38
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 1073-1652

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Brakes; Buses; Commercial vehicles; Engines; Highway safety; Power trains; Technological innovations; Tires; Trucks; Vehicle design; Vehicle maintenance; Vehicle safety; Vehicle size; Vehicle weight
• Uncontrolled Terms: Vehicle configurations
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Motor Carriers; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01023767
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309094224
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 5 2006 9:12AM