If you delve into articles of mine from the treasure trove of my past Team Run Smart articles, you will find that safety systems like collision mitigation is nothing new for the Freightliner trucks I have driven. Three of the four trucks I have had the privilege of driving as a Team Run Smart Pro have had CMS (collision mitigation systems) on board and I have not pulled any punches when talking about both the good and bad aspects I’ve encountered using them. After getting to test the 2018 Freihtliner New Cascadia prior to its public launch, I knew right then and there that I wanted to spec the new Detroit Assurance 4.0 in my next truck if I were given the chance. As luck would have it, I was given the chance to spec my own 2018 New Cascadia with this system and could not be happier with my choice!
CMS has been a big part of my learning to adapt to new technology in trucks and use it to my advantage in being as safe as I can out there on the road. Having learned from using other CMS systems in the past, with such things happening that you often hear about like false readings in tight-turning off-ramps and detecting overpass signs, I was slightly cautious when deciding to have CMS in a truck again. Having been able to test drive a truck with the Assurance system prior to spec’ing my new truck keyed me into the difference in performance that this system offered, in comparison to what I had experienced in the past. I have now had it on the road for just about a month and used it in scenarios ranging from traffic in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, mountain grades like The Grapevine, Cajon and Baker, and even the wide open nothingness of the California-Nevada desert. In doing so I can say truthfully that I have (knock on wood) not encountered a single false CMS reading and had nothing but the best performance out of the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) and LDW (Lane Departure Warning) systems.
Driving constantly in a land where the open “safe space” in front of a truck is seen by other motorists as a perfect spot to squeeze their vehicle into, these types of systems can help a great deal! With so many things to monitor while driving, it is nice to know that I have an extra set of eyes looking ahead of me up to 825 feet, tracking 40 objects simultaneously, and calculating decisions on these objects as threats at a rate of 200 times per second! Real world performance is how I base my recommendations and this system is proving to be my system of choice, performing well above my expectations when incorporated into my cutting-edge Freightliner Integrated Powertrain! If you are considering a CMS system for your safety when buying a new truck, be sure to check out the Detroit Assurance page to learn more about the new Assurance 4.0 and feel free to post any questions for the team and I to answer for you here in the comments section.