Kenworth Truck Company Offers Newest Bendix® Fusion™ Safety System

AVON, OH… Today’s most advanced safety technology from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Bendix) is now available for order on select Kenworth Truck Company vehicles. Bendix® Fusion™ – Bendix’s flagship collision mitigation system – includes new features and enhanced capabilities, building on long-standing and road-proven advanced driver assistance technologies.

“We’ve been working with the Kenworth team for decades to provide North America’s fleets and drivers with safer trucks, and it never stops being a point of pride to see Bendix technologies on their top vehicles,” said Nicole Oreskovic, Bendix vice president, sales and marketing. “From the earliest days of our full-stability systems in 2005 to the latest continuing steps in highly automated driving, Kenworth has always been a fantastic and valuable partner on our journey toward safer roads for everyone.”

Bendix Fusion has been available on a growing range of Kenworth models since 2016 and has been standard on select Kenworth trucks – including its on-highway flagship T680 model – since 2018. Built on the foundation of the Bendix® ESP® Electronic Stability Program full-stability system, Fusion gathers input through radar, video, and brakes, combining and cross-checking the data from sensors that are working together and not just in parallel. By creating a more detailed assessment from this information, Fusion delivers collision mitigation on moving and stationary vehicles while prioritizing alerts to help reduce driver distraction.

“Drivers are, and have always been, the inspiration for every Kenworth truck built – and we are happy to partner with Bendix to provide customers purchasing new T680s with a solution that, coupled with safe driving behavior, addresses ease of operation, increased convenience, and improved driver comfort,” said Kyle Kimball, Kenworth director of marketing.

Bendix emphasizes that advanced safety technologies complement safe driving practices. No commercial vehicle safety technology replaces a skilled, alert driver exercising safe driving techniques and proactive, comprehensive driver training. Responsibility for the safe operation of the vehicle remains with the driver at all times. Keep in mind that limitations exist, and the driver should become familiar with them before operating the vehicle by reading the Operator’s Manual.

Bendix® Fusion™: What’s New?

Out front, there’s a new Bendix radar. The Bendix™ FLR-25™ Radar Sensor allows Bendix® Fusion™ to add a new feature, ACB Stop and Auto-Go™ (with pedestrian cancel) and service brake hold. The new radar also allows Bendix to update this generation of Fusion’s key functionalities – autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and stationary vehicle braking. In the cab, drivers will notice new dashboard-integrated messaging designed for even easier understanding.

Like previous versions, the latest Fusion can provide multi-lane AEB, highway departure warning and braking, active cruise with braking (ACB), following distance alerts, lane departure warning, and alerts when speeding. 

“ACB is only available when you’ve got the cruise control on and set,” said TJ Thomas, Bendix director of marketing and customer solutions – Controls. “The way ACB Stop and Auto-Go works is that if a detected forward vehicle slows to a stop, the system may automatically de-throttle the engine, activate the engine retarder, and apply the service brakes to bring your truck to a full stop. If the forward vehicle resumes moving within a few seconds – and if the system does not detect a pedestrian or object between your truck and that vehicle – your vehicle may accelerate back up to the previously set cruise control speed while maintaining the distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.”

Fusion with ACB Stop and Auto-Go is available on select Kenworth T680 powertrains with automated transmission.

The latest Bendix Fusion also includes a new function: Service Brake Hold. If the system intervenes with service brakes and the truck comes to a full stop, the service brakes will now hold the vehicle at a stop until the driver takes action.

Safer Trucks, Safer Roads

“Since we launched Bendix® Fusion™ in 2015, the technology has been out there making a positive difference to fleets and drivers every day,” Thomas said. “Drivers are more satisfied with radar-and-camera systems than with radar-only technologies – largely due to fewer false alerts and interventions – and fleets equipping their tractors with Bendix collision mitigation technologies have reported significant reductions in rear-end collisions as well as decreased severity of those that did occur.”

With its Bendix® ESP® Electronic Stability Program base, Fusion also helps drivers potentially mitigate additional crash situations, including rollovers and loss-of-control incidents. When Fusion intervenes, it can provide full braking power on the tractor, along with pulsing air back to the trailer to provide trailer braking, whether or not the trailer has an antilock braking/trailer roll stability unit.

Fusion is compatible with both the Bendix® BlindSpotter® Side Object Detection System and SafetyDirect®, which

“No one can control everything that happens on the highway, and even a great driver can have a bad day,” Thomas said. “We are focused on developing technologies that assist drivers, not replace them. At the end of the day, our team – and our colleagues at Kenworth – want nothing more than to see everyone on the road safely home.”