National Technical Reports Library

The National Technical Information Service acquires, indexes, abstracts, and archives the largest collection of U.S. government-sponsored technical reports in existence. The NTRL offers online, free and open access to these authenticated government technical reports. Technical reports and documents in its repository may be available online for free either from the issuing federal agency, the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s Federal Digital System website, or through search engines.

Details

Effectiveness of Stability Control Systems for Truck Tractors.

PB2011105253

Publication Date	2011
Personal Author	Wang, J. S.
Page Count	8
Abstract	This Research Note describes the process of deriving the effectiveness rates of electronic stability control systems (ESC) and roll stability control systems (RSC) in truck tractors that are used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to estimate the benefits of these systems. ESC and RSC are two types of stability control systems that have been developed for heavy vehicles. RSC is designed to mitigate on-road, untripped truck rollovers by automatically decelerating the vehicle by applying the foundation brakes and reducing engine torque output. ESC includes the RSC function described previously but it has added capability that allows it to also mitigate severe oversteer or understeer conditions that can lead to vehicle loss-of-control (LOC), by automatically applying selective brakes to generate a yawing moment that helps the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle. Thus, ESC is designed to mitigate both untripped rollover and LOC crashes. Therefore, the definition of ESC for heavy trucks is different from that specified in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 126 (FMVSS No. 126) for light vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less. For simplicity, hereafter, rollovers represent first event on-road, untripped rollovers.
Keywords	Truck tractors Stability control systems Rollover crashes Heavy trucks Commercial carriers Traffic safety Tractor trailers Tractor semitrailers Electronic stability control systems Roll stability control systems
Source Agency	Highway Traffic Safety
Corporate Authors	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC. Office of Regulatory Analysis and Evaluation.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	201114

Effectiveness of Stability Control Systems for Truck Tractors.

Effectiveness of Stability Control Systems for Truck Tractors.
PB2011105253

Publication Date	2011
Personal Author	Wang, J. S.
Page Count	8
Abstract	This Research Note describes the process of deriving the effectiveness rates of electronic stability control systems (ESC) and roll stability control systems (RSC) in truck tractors that are used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to estimate the benefits of these systems. ESC and RSC are two types of stability control systems that have been developed for heavy vehicles. RSC is designed to mitigate on-road, untripped truck rollovers by automatically decelerating the vehicle by applying the foundation brakes and reducing engine torque output. ESC includes the RSC function described previously but it has added capability that allows it to also mitigate severe oversteer or understeer conditions that can lead to vehicle loss-of-control (LOC), by automatically applying selective brakes to generate a yawing moment that helps the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle. Thus, ESC is designed to mitigate both untripped rollover and LOC crashes. Therefore, the definition of ESC for heavy trucks is different from that specified in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 126 (FMVSS No. 126) for light vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less. For simplicity, hereafter, rollovers represent first event on-road, untripped rollovers.
Keywords	Truck tractors Stability control systems Rollover crashes Heavy trucks Commercial carriers Traffic safety Tractor trailers Tractor semitrailers Electronic stability control systems Roll stability control systems
Source Agency	Highway Traffic Safety
Corporate Authors	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC. Office of Regulatory Analysis and Evaluation.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	201114