U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20590
www.dot.gov/affairs/index.html
FMCSA 15-10
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Contact: Candice Tolliver
Tel: 202-366-9999
FMCSA Administrator Ferro Participates in Commercial Motor Vehicle Technology Showcase
Views New Technologies Designed to Improve Truck and Bus Safety
WASHINGTON — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator Anne S. Ferro today participated in a Commercial Motor Vehicle Technology Showcase that featured new-to-market and emerging roadside inspection technologies designed to improve the safety performance of commercial trucks and buses.
Held at FMCSA’s Roadside Technology Corridor on Interstate 81 in Greene County, Tennessee, the showcase provided a first-hand look at how state-of-the-art technology better equips state law enforcement as they conduct commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety inspections. FMCSA, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Safety, Tennessee Department of Transportation, the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, organized the showcase.
“Safety is our top priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This technology showcase will help us as we seek innovative and more efficient ways to make our roads safer for everyone.”
“FMCSA is committed to strengthening commercial vehicle safety through the use of new technology,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “By providing a platform to test, evaluate and refine new enforcement technologies, we are able to clearly understand their benefits and encourage deployment on the state level.”
In a real world setting, the showcase demonstrated various new safety technologies including:
- Wireless Roadside Inspection (WRI): Using a fixed site or mobile vehicle, the WRI is designed to conduct up to 25 times more vehicle inspections a year than the current, in-person inspection process. In real time, an inspector can obtain driver and carrier identity, vehicle condition and hours-of-service violations while the vehicle is traveling at highway speed.
- Smart Infrared Inspection System (SIRIS): SIRIS detects brake, wheel and tire problems by comparing infrared thermal images of wheels as the vehicle enters a weigh station. Once this technology is complete, it will use software to read thermal images and alert law enforcement if an inspection is needed.
- Performance-Based Brake Tester (PBBT): PBBT technology provides a safe, accurate and objective assessment of a vehicle’s brake force and overall performance.
- Medium Truck Duty Cycle: This safety sensor technology outfits the vehicle with brake stroke, weight and tire pressure monitoring systems that collect data designed to help researchers develop tools that determine a vehicle’s safety fitness.
- Technology In Motion Vehicle (TMV): The TMV demonstration vehicle, equipped with electronic on-board recorders, raises stakeholder awareness and increases adoption of the featured technologies.
To learn more about the Commercial Motor Vehicle Technology Showcase, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov.
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