Construction calls for a hands-on approach. It’s a tough job that requires hardy workers. The new Mercedes-Benz Arocs has all the qualities required to be the perfect partner for construction-related transport: powerful engines, varied drive configurations and a robust chassis for the sustainable development of industry-appropriate vehicle bodies. The Arocs has an extensive programme allowing customers to design their own transport solutions that cater to individual requirements. Construction haulage today, however, requires more than that. Operations represent logistical masterpieces, often completed under extreme conditions and which call for state-of-the-art-technology. Exactly the type of innovation brought to the construction site by the new Arocs. Boasting the latest generation of technological developments such as Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC), Sideguard Assist, Active Brake Assist and market ‘firsts’ such as MirrorCam and the Multimedia Cockpit, not to mention the Truck Data Center (TDC) connectivity platform, the Arocs is setting the standard for efficiency, digitalisation, safety and connectivity.
Innovative and efficient
The Mercedes-Benz Arocs now also benefits from the advanced cruise and transmission control Predictive Powertrain Control. PPC has thus also found its purpose in inter-urban traffic and the Arocs, which frequently navigates rural roads, is now set to see major progress in the reduction of fuel consumption. In addition to a GPS-based positioning system, the new generation of PPC uses digital road maps that contain data on topography, road bends, the geometry of intersections and roundabouts, as well as traffic signs. Not only is the Arocs always able to find the right gear and appropriate speed for consumption when travelling up- and downhill, but also when navigating the winding roads between cities and towns. This is what makes it so fuel-efficient and as comfortable as possible out on the road.
Out on the road, the Arocs is up to five percent more fuel-efficient when compared to models without the intelligent cruise and transmission control. PPC is now also available for heavy duty trucks up to 120 tonnes, all-wheel drive vehicles and vehicles with Hydraulic Auxiliary Drive (HAD) or fluid coupling – with the exception of the cement mixer. In combination with MirrorCam, fuel savings are even better thanks to the optimised aerodynamics of the streamlined camera housing mounted on the side of the cab roof frame. This replaces the conventional main and wide-angle mirrors in the new Arocs. The optional system comprises two cameras aimed at the rear whose images appear on two large 15-inch displays on the A-pillar in the cab. The Arocs is the first construction truck to include this system.
Maximum safety
The optimised aerodynamics are just one positive feature of MirrorCam. The camera technology also provides advantages when it comes to the handling and primarily safety of the truck. It makes work easier, both on and off the beaten track, for drivers in construction supplier traffic where there are numerous unloading points. The absence of the mirrors has, on the one hand, considerably improved all-round visibility. The driver has excellent visibility even diagonally in front of the truck, an angle which would otherwise have been concealed by the mirror housing. And it is no longer possible for the driver to incorrectly adjust the mirror. Because from any perspective, the camera shows the same complete image.
Furthermore, MirrorCam provides the driver with a series of auxiliary functions. For example, the display for the inside of the bend swivels in such a way that the driver always has the optimal view of the semitrailer. When manoeuvring or changing lanes, the projection of distance lines on the display helps the driver estimate the distance to the vehicles following behind. “The displays on the A-pillars are placed in the field of view in a way that allows you to better perceive what’s going on around the vehicle. You just travel more safely with MirrorCam!,” says Meichle + Mohr driver, Felix Amann, a seasoned professional.
MirrorCam also works hand-in-hand with the Mercedes-Benz Sideguard Assist. The assistance system can help to avoid accidents on the co-driver’s side when the vehicle turns to the right due to it can warn the driver both visually and audibly before a collision occurs. Sideguard Assist in the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs is able to recognise and warn of obstacles to the right of the vehicle along the entire length of the vehicle. To do this, it calculates the sweep curve of the trailer. If MirrorCam is installed, Sideguard Assist warnings are displayed on the right-hand display. Thus keeping all relevant information consolidated in the one place. Daimler Trucks is currently the only manufacturer offering such a driver assistance system fully integrated in the vehicle architecture. From June 2021, there will be another safety assistance system available for the numerous Arocs model variants: Active Sideguard Assist. The new system no longer just warns the driver about moving cyclists or pedestrians on the co-driver’s side, as is the case with Sideguard Assist, but can also initiate automatic braking at a turning speed of 20 km/h until the vehicle comes to a standstill, should the driver fail to react to the audible warnings.