MAN Focus on Safety Gains Ground in Middle East

July 2, 2014 - PRLog -- MAN Truck & Bus Middle East’s focus on raising safety standards for   Middle East customers is now seeing increased interest from customers with fleet owners and drivers taking part in more ProfiDrive training in     response to increased awareness about the benefits of such situational driver training courses to raise the standards of safety on roads. MAN has seen a growing surge of interest from customers with 54 % increase in ProfiDrive training in 2014 as compared to 2013. More than 700 drivers have been trained by MAN over the last 2 years through ProfiDrive training conducted across the region.

MAN's ProfiDrive training is a specialized training programme designed to raise the level of knowledge so that drivers can adopt the best driving practices. In a one-day seminar, they learn predictive driving techniques such as how to recognise dangerous situations, calculate the optimum stopping distance and evade obstacles that suddenly emerge. MAN has been      offering the service to its customers in the Middle East for on-road         operations since 2009 and recently expanded its scope by launching its new off-road training module to cover all aspects of truck operation in the region. In addition to having its own certified trainer for ProfiDrive, MAN is now also assisting customers with large fleets to have their own in-house trainer for their dedicated requirements.

Dr. Richard Brown, Head of Product Management MAN Middle East said, “We see a growing awareness among our customer base about the benefits of raising safety standards and as a result, they see immense value in taking part in our ProfiDrive training. The most effective accident prevention system is behind the steering wheel – the driver. It is important for the driver to drive with foresight, remain calm and confident in critical situations, and stay in control of the vehicle. Driver errors typically cause more than 90 percent of accidents. Our ProfiDrive training has been specifically designed to enhance driver skills and the growth in demand for ProfiDrive as well as repeat sessions points to the effectiveness of such training.”

He added, “While technology and training have a significant bearing on raising safety standards, what we also focus on during our discussions with customer is the impact of driver fatigue in safety incidents. It’s important to monitor the operating hours of drivers so that they can stay alert while    driving. Even here, technology can come to the rescue with devices like the tachograph which automatically records vehicle speed and distance,      together with the driver's activity when he starts his shift.”

While driver training is an essential component, MAN has also been     communicating the importance of proper vehicle maintenance with        customers to keep their vehicles in the best condition to maintain safety standards. In addition to this, the importance of genuine spare parts in maintaining safety is also another factor that MAN has focused on in its discussions with customers.

In order to further enhance safety, MAN Truck & Bus has also developed innovative solutions in the form of electronic assistance systems which support the driver in everyday and difficult situations. These include the following:

Lane guard system

A video camera behind the windscreen monitors the vehicle position in relation to the lane edge. If the truck crosses over one of the two lane markings without the driver using the indicator, an audible signal warns the driver.

Continuous damping control

Continuous Damping Control (CDC) calculates all forces required from the shock absorbers as a function of the vehicle load and the nature of the road. It does this for braking and accelerating, on bends or on gradients.

Electronic stability program

The system constantly monitors the dynamic status of the vehicle and then automatically calls on the engine management and brake system to intervene if the truck threatens to tip over or skid. In the picture ESP controls the breaking of the rear wheel on the inside of the curve which creates torque that forces the vehicle back on track.

Tyre pressure monitoring

If the tyre pressure drops to the minimum permissible value, a warning light makes the driver aware of this critical status.

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

Speed is often underestimated and the distance to the vehicle in front overestimated. The adaptive cruise control (ACC) automatically adapts the distance to the vehicle travelling in front according to the preset settings thereby reducing the risk of rear-end collisions.

MAN BrakeMatic®

The intelligent MAN BrakeMatic® system, together with the Electronic Braking System EBS, anti-lock braking system ABS and powerful disc brakes provide superior braking characteristics.

MAN TipMatic®

Driving as economically as possible depends on shifting at just the right moment. This is most easily and comfortably achieved using MAN TipMatic®.