A range of safety assistance systems for heavy commercial vehicles has made its market debut in trucks, buses and coaches from Mercedes-Benz and Setra, including the world’s first fully integrated Sideguard Assist for trucks. Mercedes-Benz and Setra are now also offering sideguard assist as retrofit solutions for almost all trucks, buses and coaches made by the two brands. 

Sideguard assist is primarily for the protection of cyclists and pedestrians as well as those riding electric scooters – the most vulnerable road users.

Turning off in the direction of the passenger is among the most difficult and risky tasks a truck or bus driver has to carry out. Not only do they have to look ahead for traffic lights, signs, oncoming and crossing traffic, but they also have to keep an eye on any road users who may be alongside the vehicle. And that’s without taking into account the weather or the time of day – and the traffic situation can change in seconds. What‘s more, pedestrians and cyclists alongside the vehicle are not always aware of the fact that a truck or bus driver may not even be able to see them. Yet it is these unprotected road users in particular who are most at risk of being involved in a collision.

Sideguard assist can make an important contribution to safety. Accident research carried out by insurance companies found about half of all accidents between trucks and cyclists could be avoided in conjunction with such a system, with the number of associated fatalities potentially reduced by almost a third, and the number of serious injuries by more than 40 percent.

Sideguard assist for trucks will only be a requirement in the EU from 2022 for new vehicle models and two years later for all existing model series. For newly registered long trucks, sideguard assist will be a requirement in Germany from July this year.

Since the end of 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sideguard Assist S1R has been available as a retrofit solution for heavy goods vehicles

The Mercedes-Benz Sideguard Assist is available for the Atego and for those Actros, Antos and Arocs that cannot be retrofitted with the fully integrated Sideguard Assist variant available ex works. Sideguard Assist is also available as a retrofit solution for buses and coaches from Mercedes-Benz and Setra.

If it is not possible to retrofit Sideguard Assist on older vehicles or for technical reasons, the camera-based assistance system SurroundView can be retrofitted in all Mercedes-Benz trucks. It shows the driver the vehicle surroundings on a 7” display and, by providing an improved all-round view, can contribute towards reducing the risk of collision when turning or manoeuvring.