Frost & Sullivan Recognizes End-User Focused Active Chassis Control Systems from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems in the Class 6-8 Truck Original Equipment Market
PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 16, 2006 -- Frost & Sullivan recently named Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC as the recipient of its 2006 Customer Value Leadership of the Year Award in the North American Class 6-8 truck original equipment market.
The Award recognizes the company's excellence in developing and introducing active chassis control systems that not only enhance the safety of heavy-trucks, but also offer customers high value.
The company has effectively leveraged its expertise and experience in heavy-vehicle braking systems and technologies to develop next-generation active chassis control systems based on its acclaimed Bendix(R) ABS-6 anti- lock braking system platform. The integration of new and advanced chassis control technologies and algorithms into this robust platform have enabled Bendix to offer several safety enhancement technologies - including rollover, jackknife, skid and loss of control mitigation.
Bendix listened to its customers' needs to boost the safety value of heavy-trucks through active chassis control systems and invested heavily in research and development of active safety system technologies in the early stages of the market's development, and to focus on a "full" stability solution - the ESP(R) system - as opposed to a "partial" solution that cover only one aspect of stability - such as rollover-only systems. This not only provided Bendix with an edge in creating systems that enhance the safety of heavy-trucks through active intervention and control strategies, but also resulted in development and optimization of technology platforms that can act as the foundation for additional advanced safety systems and solutions.
Bendix safety technologies are designed to provide value to users in a variety of ways - from helping to reduce accidents in the field which helps to reduce costs and ensure customer cargo arrives on-time and intact, to providing information that enables fleets to better manage driver training needs and ensure consistent best practices across their fleet. The chassis control systems currently offered by Bendix include anti-lock braking systems, electronic stability control systems, and automatic traction control systems, with other emerging technologies ready for launch on the near-term horizon including adaptive cruise control and collision mitigation systems.
The company is also rapidly developing expertise in the next generation of braking and safety enhancement technologies such as electronic braking options for hybrid vehicles. It was the first in the world to offer a far-ranging thermal image-based night vision systems for commercial vehicles as part of its active driver assistance system product portfolio.
"The antilock braking system (ABS) technology adopted by Bendix offers it a robust platform to develop and introduce several innovative safety systems and functionalities," says Frost & Sullivan industry analyst Sandeep Kar. "For instance, the Bendix(R) ABS-6 system is a robust and highly scalable anti-lock braking system with the end-user in mind. It features a wide range of flexibility to cater to both the safety and stability enhancement needs, as well as the fleet need for ROI and information over of a wide range of commercial vehicle applications, including highway and vocational vehicles."
The ease of maintenance and a forward-compatible system architecture are attributes that further augment the complete braking system's value proposition. The forward compatibility enables the integration of new and promising safety technologies, and, in some cases, the ability of the fleet to upgrade to newer systems as they are developed.
The Bendix(R) ESP(R) electronic stability control program is developed upon this platform and offers safety from rollover, jackknifing, and loss of control arising from a wide range of road and operating conditions through advanced sensing and automatic selective application of the truck's brakes.
"The electronic stability program, which is now also being offered for vocational trucks, can be tuned to the unique characteristics of a specific truck type and applications to deliver optimum safety enhancement performance," notes Kar. "These features showcase the depth and width of the company's competence in providing advanced chassis control technologies as well as its ability to fully utilize an intelligent technology platform, resulting in advanced solutions at low incremental costs."
By delivering tangible and intangible value to the fleet, the company has helped to ensure rapid market penetration of several key technologies. Best practices employed by Bendix fuel its drive to develop and introduce safety systems for heavy-trucks that rank highly in terms of performance, effectiveness, reliability, and safety benefits.
Frost & Sullivan presents this Award to an organization that has offered effective solutions and/or services that provide the highest ratio of value to cost. The recipient has provided customers with products that provide quality, value, and innovative applications.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices in the industry.
About Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, a member of the Knorr-Bremse Group, develops and supplies leading-edge active safety technologies, air brake charging and control systems and components under the Bendix(R) brand name for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, tractors, trailers, buses and other commercial vehicles throughout North America. An industry pioneer, employing more than 2,000 people, Bendix is driven to deliver solutions for improved vehicle performance, safety and overall operating cost. Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems is headquartered in Elyria, Ohio, with manufacturing plants in Acuna, Mexico, Frankfort, Ky., and Huntington, Ind. For more information, call 1-800- AIR-BRAKE (1-800-247-2725) or visit http://www.bendix.com/ .
About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit http://www.awards.frost.com/ or http://www.automotive.frost.com/ .