After three years of deliberation, testing, and red tape, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has finally published its final rule on stability control systems.
Starting on August 1st, 2017, all new trucks will have to be equipped with federally approved anti-rollover measures. This applies only to trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds.
The system works by using engine torque control and automated braking systems that work on a wheel-by-wheel basis. This will help “assist the driver in maintaining control of the vehicle… in situations in which the vehicle is becoming roll unstable or experiencing a loss of control.” In other words, when the system detects a rollover is about to happen, it applies different amounts of braking and engine control to help keep the truck upright.
Since the new rule is aimed at truck manufacturers rather than buyers, it will be up to manufacturers to implement the systems and won’t need to be added to older vehicles that don’t already have stability control systems built in.
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Source: overdrive
madcracka says
More crappy safety equipment, how about getting better drivers and not turning TRUCKING schools in the puppy mills.
I disable the fuse on my truck for the ABS system because I can’t stand it, when I detect a slide, my brain tells my leg to let my foot off of the brake.
Jaco says
Wait for a DOT inspection resulting in an equipment violation for this super-hero act. BTW, why not just take out the rest of fuses and just go by foot?
Charlie says
You should drive your truck and just worry about yourself. How many dot inspections you been thru and how many times have they looked in you’re fuse box. ?
Rickey Gooch says
MadCracker,
Should you ever have an accident with your ABS system disabled and a serious injury or death occurs you could find yourself in prison for the rest of your life!
How could you stand that?
Cody says
I’m a good driver who has never come close to a roll over. This system will be more expensive to maintain, not to mention the added truck cost. I’m not a fan of it since I don’t need it.
mike says
It will only be an added expense if you own the tractor and trailer ,but its only for 2017 trailers and others over 26000 lbs.
Richard A. says
Actually, I don’t mind this at all. With all the idiot 4-wheelers texting and speeding these days, we need all the help we can get.
mike says
what happens to the four wheeler next to you when your truck decides that its time to roll . Out come the outrigger and crash goes the four wheeler, but you are upright.
Infosaur says
Yeah I thought the same thing. But if you read the article it has nothing to do with that outrigger set up from the pic. Just an ABS traction control system with individual wheel breaking like cars have had for a while now.
But I’d love to know more about that wacky outrigger (Bendix?) because like you said there is no way that thing would be practical in traffic.
Douglas Kirk says
In some situations it might work. It almost caused me to wreck a few years ago when it slammed on the brakes as I was entering a corner. The truck doesn’t know if the road is slick or if your trailer happens to be a smooth bore tank. What a bunch of crap.
steve says
The outriggers are for safety only during testing. The way to test the system is to put the truck in a situation that it could overturn. If the system doesn’t work, it would overturn, totalling the vehicle, and possibly harming the driver. The outrigger prevents that from happening.
JJ says
You know, we all have certain dislike for shop downtime, not to mention this is another link in the chain to breakdown. How about less distractions and paying attention to your driving, driving for the conditions of weather, traffic, construction, and stop yelling over the CB about the driver in front of you going to slow around exit curves and the like. Its to late after the fact to react, how about like another driver said here stop putting students out like puppy mills. Generally speaking a driver student that has a history of speeding and at fault accident usually has a hard time getting rid of that habit. As we all know safety is something you practice,live and breathe nearly all every day/night 24/7 and being very proactive about it at that, another words not reactive(which means you react afterwards to the situations that could have been prevented). You can just about watch another driver’s driving habits near you and tell if you want your truck next to that him or her, i.e. no signaling when changing lanes, no flashers when going slow as hell up the hill/grade, no head lights on when required, bitches over the CB a lot, waves from one lane to the next (fatigued, etc), the truck is dented all over, pulling doubles so fast that they sway like the ocean or tire swing, passes you at 1 mph faster than you and then cuts in front of you nearly taking you with him, has several lights out that is very noticeable, and the list goes on, you get the picture. That driver when I see them, and that’s just about everyday just like many of you I’m sure. Beware and stay away from those idiots. As we all know those sorta driving habits will change your world in a matter of seconds.