Mercedes-Benz has been a pioneer in safety and assistance systems for decades and pursues the vision of accident-free driving. This ambitious goal will become even more important in the future as the traffic dynamics in city bus transport become evermore complex – never before has this challenged the driver as much as it does today. All the more reason, especially in cities, to protect not only passengers and bus drivers but also the safety of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
A high degree of safety is therefore already integrated as standard in the Citaro city buses. The eCitaro adds further protection systems. For example, it features the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System, a sound generator that generates an artificial background noise at speeds of up to 30 kilometres per hour, similar to that of a combustion engine. The system improves awareness of the quiet, all-electric eCitaro and thus protects pedestrians and cyclists.
The eCitaro additionally has two modern assistance systems for city buses: Sideguard Assist and Preventive Brake Assist. Sideguard Assist alerts the driver to critical situations in a timely manner when turning. The second system is Preventive Brake Assist. It is the first active brake assistant for city buses and makes a significant contribution to pedestrian safety in urban traffic.
Numerous other assistance systems also support the driver - for example, the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP®), which Mercedes-Benz was the first manufacturer worldwide to use in buses. A roll-pitch control system with electronically controlled shock absorbers is also optionally available. This automatically stabilises the vehicle and therefore reduces body lean in bends.
