Annual Report 2012 - Knorr-Bremse AG.

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Report
Market successes // Commercial vehicle systems
A number of factors have to be taken into account when installing ABS in agricultural vehicles.
Amongst other things the different size and weight of the wheels and the use of double tires can
cause moments of inertia that do not occur in other vehicles. In addition, the wide variety of different
equipment that can be added to the front and rear of the tractor and the different types of trailer that
can be attached result in huge differences in center of gravity and axle loads.
All these aspects have to be factored into the ABS logic to ensure that the vehicle can be kept under
control on both dry and wet surfaces even when braking heavily. The vehicle must also be able to
brake safely on loose surfaces such as gravel or snow without any danger of the wheels locking.
Bendix ESP becomes standard equipment at Peterbilt
Knorr-Bremse subsidiary Bendix has further reinforced its market leadership in North America. In May
2012, the Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program full-stability system with Automatic Traction Control
(ATC) became standard on the majority of US commercial vehicle manufacturer Peterbilt Motors
Company’s Class 8 trucks and tractors. Other manufacturers offering Bendix ESP include International,
Kenworth, and Prevost.
Bendix was the first North American brake system manufacturer to make full-stability solutions widely
available for the commercial vehicle market, introducing Bendix ESP in early 2005. In September
2012 the company reached 200,000 units sold.
Comprehensive full-stability systems – such as Bendix ESP – address both roll and directional stability.
While roll-only options function on dry surfaces, full-stability systems recognize and mitigate conditions
that could lead to rollover and loss-of-control situations sooner on dry surfaces, and in a wider