After years of success following the initial introduction of its award-winning Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system, Iteris Inc. (AMEX:ITI), a leader in vision-based technologies and Intelligent Transportation Systems that optimize traffic flow and enhance driver safety, today announced availability of its second-generation LDW system for the commercial truck market in the U.S. and Europe.
In the U.S., Iteris' second-generation LDW systems are now available to fleets for direct aftermarket sales and can also be purchased for aftermarket installation at multiple Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) factory modification centers. The second-generation system has already been field tested by three national truck fleets and one OEM.
Iteris recently began initial production on the second-generation LDW systems in Europe, fulfilling orders from DaimlerChrysler for its Mercedes-Benz Actros heavy trucks. In addition, MAN and NEOPLAN, which together are Europe's third-largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, will also offer Iteris' LDW system as optional equipment on its award-winning Starliner luxury coaches and other coach models including the NEOPLAN Cityliner and MAN's Lion's Coach.
Iteris' second-generation LDW system offers drivers more robust performance features that have been designed into the system's new proprietary software. Pioneered by Iteris, the first LDW system has been in production since 2000 when it made its European debut in Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks. It is currently the only product of its kind available as both an OEM and an aftermarket option for commercial trucks. Over 20,000 LDW systems have been sold for commercial truck platforms in the U.S. and Europe with an estimated billion miles traveled per year. In the U.S., there are currently 24 fleets specifying the Iteris LDW system and another 47 fleets conducting field tests.
"With the launch of our second-generation LDW system, Iteris continues to assert its technology leadership role within the commercial truck market," said Jack Johnson, chief executive officer of Iteris. "Safety remains a top priority in the trucking industry and Iteris is dedicated to developing advanced features that we believe will continue to improve the safe operation of trucks worldwide."
Iteris' second-generation LDW system offers advanced features including:
- Single-Line Tracking - The new LDW system requires visibility of just one lane marking in order to accurately track the truck's position within the lane and emit a warning. It can track either the center or side line. This results in greater system availability in the U.S. on the many roads that only have center lines and in Europe on roads with only a fog line.
- Improved Curve Tracking - Improvements have been made to more accurately track lane marks through tighter curves. As a result, further reductions relative to the first generation's already low false alarm rate can be expected.
- Lighting Conditions - Significant improvements have been made to enhance performance across a broader range of lighting conditions including heavy glare.
- Volume Control - The volume level of the audible warnings can be easily modified by truck fleets for minimum/maximum impact.
A Proven Solution to Enhancing Driver Safety
Iteris developed its vision-based LDW technology to help address the nation's single largest cause of automotive-related highway fatalities - inadvertent lane changes caused by distracted, inattentive or drowsy drivers. According to preliminary estimates just released by the Transportation Department, truck deaths could hit a six-year high after increasing for the third year in a row. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also recently stated that "more work needs to be done to reverse this growth rate by focusing on driver behavior and factors that cause crashes."
Iteris' LDW system was the first of its kind to be deployed in the commercial truck and passenger car markets and it still remains the only vision-based system in mass production in Europe and the U.S.
The system uses a windshield-mounted camera that tracks lane markings using image recognition software and monitors the relative position of the truck within the lane. If the truck inadvertently crosses the lane markings, the system automatically emits a distinctive rumble strip sound alerting the driver to make a correction.
