Utilizing Future Vehicle Technology to Improve Safety

As in the past 60 years, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) design will continue to evolve incrementally over the next 5- to 20-year horizon. The CMVs of the near future will probably look very similar to today's vehicles. However, they will have much less resemblance under the hood to their forebears, and many of those new technologies will serve to improve the safety of the driver and the traveling public. In this paper, a number of factors that influence the design and operation of CMVs are explored. Although the focus is on freight-transporting vehicles, many of the issues discussed apply to passenger-carrying vehicles as well. Because CMVs are designed to serve the needs of commerce, a discussion of vehicle configuration, weights, and dimensions comes first. Next the major vehicular systems are discussed: brakes, tires, and engine and powertrain. The safety of the driver, from the standpoint of both driver protection and safety-enhancing technologies, is explored next, and finally, the connection between CMV maintenance and operational integrity is examined.