Adaptive Cruise Control

What is the Issue?

High-speed crashes involving class 7 and 8 trucks (those weighing more than 26,000 pounds) can be catastrophic, but they can also be avoided. Each year, a number of truck drivers use speed as a competitive advantage against the many safe companies who voluntarily limit the maximum speed at which their trucks can operate.

Why does it matter?

Speeding has been recognized as a major safety issue for years. By speeding, these truck drivers reduce their ability to stop safely in an emergency and increase their potential to cause serious harm if they are involved in a collision.

What is the solution?

Require Class 7 and 8 Trucks to Use Adaptive Cruise Control

Most heavy commercial trucks on the roads have cruise control capability. However, use of cruise control can cause a driver to be less-engaged and slower to react. That is why many of the safest fleets of tractor-trailers only allow cruise control to be used at slower speeds than the speed-limiter maximum setting, to adjust for this lost reaction time.

We strongly believe that the only type of cruise control that is safe to use on a heavy commercial vehicle is adaptive cruise control with active braking. This type of cruise control sets both speed and the distance between the front of the truck and the vehicle it is following. Sensors cause the truck to slow down automatically if the vehicle it is following slows down, and active braking will actually stop the truck safely without any action from the driver.