Renault launches retrofit anti-rollaway parking brake
A system designed to prevent drivers leaving the cab of their truck without applying the parking brake has been introduced by Renault Trucks UK.
Dubbed Anti-Runaway Automated Park Brake (Anti-RAPB), the system was developed at the behest of Renault Trucks UK working alongside a major UK truck operator.
The safety back-up device is available as a software and wiring update on all Range T, C and K trucks with electronic park brakes. In the event of the driver’s door being opened at speeds of up to 3 kph (1.8 mph), the device activates the park brake automatically.
Nigel Butler, the commercial director of Renault Trucks, said: “Anti-RAPB is a great example of how we are using technology to help prevent avoidable accidents.
“Despite advances in technology, vehicle runaway situations remain too common; drivers can get distracted when the truck is idling and simply forget to activate the park brake when they leave the vehicle to uncouple the trailer or sign a document.
“It only takes a slight incline for 44-tonnes to start rolling, which becomes a very serious problem, very quickly. Our Anti-RAPB solution helps reduce the consequence of human error, preventing the problem before it arises.”
Anti-RAPB creates a ‘fail-safe’ which can operate in two scenarios at speed below three km/h. In each case the Range T, C and K’s electronic park brake utilises the extensive functionality of the vehicle’s electronics systems to make the Anti-RAPB innovation possible and to communicate the system’s st
atus to the driver through the dashboard ‘tell-tale’ messages.
Scenario one is when the truck is in neutral, the park brake is not applied and the driver’s door is opened. Here, the ‘door open’ buzzer will sound momentarily, followed by the application of the park brake and the message ‘Park Brake Applied’. In this case, upon closing the door and selecting drive, the park brake will auto release when pulling away.
The second scenario is when the vehicle is in gear, the park brake is not applied and the driver’s door is opened. The door open buzzer will activate, followed by the application of the park brake, with the message ‘Door open. Select Neutral position before leaving vehicle’.
If this message is ignored, when the door is closed the park brake will not auto release when pulling away, so the driver must either select neutral and return to drive or manually release the park brake.
