A new generation of electronic safety controls can prevent accidents and reduce liability concerns.

A federal study shows savings from using rollover stability systems throughout the industry would save more than $1 billion a year.

Like the best NASCAR drivers, with their tightly honed skills, fast reflexes, and years of practice, even top truckers can quickly get into a difficult steering situation. Two major brake component makers have introduced systems that can prevent a rig from rolling over or losing control when approaching a jackknife. These systems use many of the components that make ABS successful, and tap into the know-how industry engineers have developed around tractor-trailer dynamics.

Rollover and full stability systems

There are the two basic system types, says Mark Melletat, director of trailer systems and fleet operations at Meritor Wabco. One is roll stability control. The other, full stability control, combines RSC with other technology to provide broader and more powerful corrective actions.

RSC “provides the highest value of vehicle rollover stability with the fewest components and maintenance requirements and the lowest cost,” Melletat says. “It continually monitors conditions that can lead to a rollover and can automatically de-throttle the engine and apply the engine brake, as well as the drive and trailer axle foundation brakes, to reduce tractor-trailer speed when lateral acceleration limits are about to be exceeded.”

For example, if a rig will roll over in a curve at 40 mph, but the driver is doing 46 mph, the system will slow the rig to below 40 to reduce centrifugal force.