Results from MAN research
Video on disturbance compensation
(440 KB)
Disturbance compensation:
Disturbance compensation helps to keep the vehicle on course by eliminating the influence of lateral forces (e.g. side winds). This necessitates intervention in the steering system. The compensation regulator corrects the disruptions and applies a countering force to the steering system. The vehicle is thus kept on course without any action by the driver.
The video shows a manoeuvre without (red line) and with (green line) disturbance compensation under the influence of a strong side wind.
Video on traffic performance assistant
(890 KB)
Traffic performance assistant:
The aim of the traffic performance assistant is to prevent traffic jams and stop-and-go waves in dense traffic. With vehicle-to-vehicle data communication the traffic is guided optimally as it approaches points of disruption and the driver is supported in his anticipatory driving style. This makes traffic more fluid and thus helps to break up traffic jams more quickly.
Video on avoidance assistant
(510 KB)
Avoidance assistant:
The avoidance assistant supports the driver in changing lanes and in evading obstacles. For this the traffic situation around the vehicle has to be recorded (at front, on left-hand side, at rear). The avoidance assistant provides the following help:
- it warns the driver if he intends to change lane while there is a vehicle to the left of his truck or if one is approaching from behind.
- it recommends a lane change if one is possible as the vehicle approaches a vehicle moving more slowly.
- it gives the driver an acoustic warning if he is moving up close to a vehicle ahead.
- it automatically carries out a lane change if the driver confirms the recommendation.
The video shows a truck changing lane and the radius (marked in red) with which the avoidance assistant records the traffic situation.
Video on traffic-jam assistant
(1,3 MB)
Traffic-jam assistant:
The traffic-jam assistant is designed to support the driver in driving his vehicle in jams. It aims to relive the driver in monotonous driving situations and prevent rear-end collisions caused by inattentiveness. It handles the following tasks:
- maintaining distance to vehicle in frontkeeping
- the vehicle in its lane
- automatically braking the vehicle to a standstill behind the vehicle ahead
- driver-activated moving off.
The video shows recognition of the distance up to the truck in front (shown in red).
Video on monitoring of surroundings
(1,02 MB)
Monitoring the surroundings:
MAN's system for monitoring the vehicle surroundings consists of a combination of several radar sensors. The long-distance range (150 m, outlined in green in the video) to the front and rear is recorded with one 77 GHz each. For the short-distance range (up to 40 m, outlined in blue and red in the video) 24 GHz radar sensors are used. The data for recognising the lane (coloured green in the video) are obtained using a camera system.
More reliable and more precise data are obtained from those areas which are covered by more than one sensor. Areas covered by only one sensor may benefit as an object passes from one of the other viewing areas. In this way full recording of objects is a real possibility.
If the sensors are installed on the nearside too (this was not done in the project for reasons of cost) a safety cocoon can be built up around the vehicle. Monitoring the surroundings is the basis for future assistance functions.
More reliable and more precise data are obtained from those areas which are covered by more than one sensor. Areas covered by only one sensor may benefit as an object passes from one of the other viewing areas. In this way full recording of objects is a real possibility.
If the sensors are installed on the nearside too (this was not done in the project for reasons of cost) a safety cocoon can be built up around the vehicle. Monitoring the surroundings is the basis for future assistance functions.
