The chassis is one of the world's safest and most comfortable modes of transport. Innovations from Mercedes-Benz have made a decisive contribution to this – and make the OC 500 RF a pioneer on the road.
OC 500 RF 2542
Proven Benefits
The Proven Benefits - OC 500 RF 2542.
Focus on safety.
Advantages at a glance.
- Comfort for driver and passengers
- The driver's work area in the new OC 500 RF chassis generation is now even more attractive
- The OC 500 RF electronics system sets it apart from other chassis. It has a central "brain", the IES CAN (integrated electronics system controller area network), in which all electronic components are integrated
Module 1 / Driver's pedestal – frame – gearshift lever – steering col.
Driver's work area.
Flexible in any direction.
Design a customised driver's workstation. Thanks to its extraordinary flexibility, the OC 500 RF makes it easy for you to tailor the cockpit to your precise requirements.
The driver's workstation in the OC 500 RF is fully functional and can easily be adapted to your requirements. The steering column, for example, can be adjusted in height and inclination. There is no conventional gearshift lever in the cockpit, which offers your designers greater scope to implement their ideas. Instead, the driver has a joystick with pneumatic shifting aid on the right of the seat. High precision and smooth travel ensure gearshifting comfort to rival that of a passenger car. Thanks to integrated emergency-running characteristics, the vehicle remains roadworthy even if the gearshift should fail. The variable location of the joystick also has ergonomic benefits. Easy to reach and operate, it eases the driver's workload and helps to ensure full concentration on the road ahead – a key contribution to driving safety.
Electronics.
Focused intelligence.
The OC 500 RF electronics system sets it apart from other chassis. It has a central "brain", the IES CAN (integrated electronics system controller area network), in which all electronic components are integrated. All control units can be monitored easily using the IES onboard diagnostics system. This facilitates rapid and targeted troubleshooting for maintenance or repair.
This helps to reduce costs for the bus/coach operator by cutting downtime and maintenance time. Other plus factors include uniform interfaces for your electronics system, and a modular electrical equipment compartment with standardised slots at the driver’s workstation. All electronics systems are coded to avoid confusion. This ensures that your body’s electrical system can be connected flexibly and without complication. It also gives you greater flexibility when positioning and installing your electronic components.
The safety systems in detail.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS).
How ABS works: there are sensors fitted on all four wheels which detect the rotational speed of each wheel and pass this information on to a central control unit. If the critical point of blocking the wheels is reached, the wheel is stopped at precisely that threshold by pressure variation. The brake pressure can be increased and decreased numerous times in the space of a second.
When braking, all the forces acting on the wheels and the rolling behaviour are continually monitored. The braking forces acting on the wheels are distributed in such a way that no wheel can lock, and the steerability of the vehicle is preserved as far as possible.
In December 1970, Mercedes-Benz presented the world's first electronically controlled ABS – a revolution in driving and road safety. Thanks to targeted electronic braking intervention, the wheels don't lock for long periods of time. The risk of losing steering stability is minimised and, in the case of a full application of the brakes, the vehicle can be steered in the desired direction. ABS technology forms the basis for further developed electronic safety systems such as the Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) or the Brake Assist system (BAS).
Electronic Stability Program (ESP®).
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) is an active system for increasing driving safety and stability. It makes a noticeable contribution to reducing the risk of skidding during cornering or evasive manoeuvres. This is achieved by specifically controlling the braking forces on each individual wheel in critical, dynamic driving situations, for example if the bus approaches physical limits when cornering. At the same time, the engine output is reduced. A possible "breaking-out" of the bus is thus prevented by the finely metered braking within the limits of the physical possibilities.
Among other things, ESP® monitors the lateral acceleration of the bus. If, on long bends – such as motorway exits – or with rapid lane changes, the bus reaches a critical driving situation, the vehicle speed is automatically reduced so the bus returns to a situation of driving stability. ESP® is comparable with the system installed in cars but provides additional functions adapted for use in buses.
Acceleration skid control (ASR).
ASR prevents the drive wheels from spinning in two ways. On the one hand, ASR minimises wheel spinning through a measured braking intervention. On the other hand, the torque of the engine is regulated via the "electronic accelerator pedal". Even at full throttle, the engine only provides as much power in critical situations as the drive wheels can transmit – a major advantage for controlled pulling away and driving stability.
When starting off, the torques applied and the wheel speeds of the drive wheels are monitored. In this process, torque distribution is controlled in such a way that spinning is prevented. This ensures that optimum power flow is always guaranteed.
ASR helps the driver to minimise the risk of the drive wheels spinning and consequently of the rear of the vehicle (rear-wheel drive) breaking out laterally when accelerating. Especially for high-torque engines, ASR thus provides increased comfort and enhanced safety when pulling away – particularly on roads with varying grip.
