THE DEFINITIVE TRUCKING SITE

May 2007

Many of today's new trucks come equipped with advanced electronic 'early warning' systems that monitor all safety and drive-critical components of the vehicle, be it brake air pressure and brake lining wear, or oil and coolant levels. Typically, these systems relay component status information to the dashboard where an array of indicator lamps and buzzers warn the driver of any danger with regards to component safety.
 

When safety-critical components are close to ‘breaking point’, electronic messages are sent to the truck’s dashboard, warning the driver where the danger lies. The trick is to act swiftly on these signals to prevent equipment failure and accidents.

While these systems do help make trucks safer and more reliable, they can often lead to complacency among truck owners, technicians and drivers, says Wayne Powdrell, National Service Manager, MAN Truck and Bus, South Africa. "People have become too reliant on electronics to warn of damage or wear," he says. "While many drivers are trained to understand what each warning signal means, others will climb into a vehicle without proper training and be ignorant of what the electronic warning system is all about."

The current shortage of skilled drivers is a fundamental problem but as the truck parc gets younger (and more technologically advanced), all drivers will have to be upskilled to interact effectively with in-cab electronics. "It's about getting it right at the source," says Powdrell, "which means comprehensively training drivers on new vehicle technologies, conducting appropriate safety checks and servicing the vehicle correctly. While self-diagnostic technology on trucks does bring peace-of-mind to a large degree, a 'constant monitoring system' will only be effective if the personnel using it, particularly the driver, are reacting to it properly."