Mercedes 2001 Annual Report Download - page 29

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 29 of the 2001 Mercedes annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 130

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • 100
  • 101
  • 102
  • 103
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • 113
  • 114
  • 115
  • 116
  • 117
  • 118
  • 119
  • 120
  • 121
  • 122
  • 123
  • 124
  • 125
  • 126
  • 127
  • 128
  • 129
  • 130

The “Vision of Accident-free Driving” 25
exchange of information between traffic participants
whose positions are provided by the Differential Global
Positioning System (DGPS). The assistance systems on
board a vehicle receive all this data, evaluate it and
may react by steering or braking. Information on road
conditions is acquired by special computers on board
the vehicles which build up an increasingly precise
database. In the future, vehicles might be able to inform
each other of hazards or traffic jams. In addition to
enhancing safety, this vehicle-to-vehicle communication
will improve route planning.
A further future safety element is provided by the
Drive by Wire electronic system. Accelerating, braking
and steering can be carried out electronically without
any mechanical connections. Like aircraft, road vehicles
can be controlled by purely electronic means using
‘sidesticks’ – two ergonomically contoured joysticks
which perform the functions of the steering wheel and
pedals. Mechatronic sensors register how much pres-
sure the driver applies to the sidestick and in which
direction, filter out excessively sharp steering move-
ments and give the driver the feeling of direct contact
with the road. The sidesticks thus help the driver to
brake more rapidly or even to better avoid obstacles.
The driver does not tire as quickly and can have a
better view of the instruments. The electronically
controlled brake system (Brake by Wire) is already
available in certain Mercedes-Benz production vehicles.
Position Aware Safety Systems
(PASS) will optimize car driving:
vehicles could automatically help
to avoid obstacles that suddenly
appear, such as rocks on the road.
The “Vision of Accident-free Driving” at
DaimlerChrysler: vehicles will become increasingly
skilled at understanding their surroundings. They will
recognize the traffic in their vicinity, and they may be
fitted with microphones so that we can talk to them;
they may be able to interpret road signs and react of
their own accord when necessary. Their ability to
“think along with the driver” will help prevent many
accidents or mitigate their consequences. These
assistance systems, which are constantly on the alert
and are never distracted, will support the driver and
make road traffic considerably safer.
Our goal is accident-free
road transport