Truck and Track Autumn 2022 www.truckandtrack.com 8 BUSINESS NEWS New Functions for Increased Safety and Peace of Mind VBG Truck Equipment is committed to developing smart functions to make the workday simpler for drivers. Following close on the heels of the launch of the new generation of VBG couplings, VBG Driver Assist is now coming to the market. VBG is now taking the next big leap in innovation and launching VBG Driver Assist. A completely new system that relies on radar technology and communicates to the driver in the cab. The new software contributes to greater safety for the driver, saves time during coupling, and reduces the risk of unnecessary repair costs. The new generation of VBG couplings is amajor leap in innovation in the industrial segment in which VBG operates. The combination of refined mechanics and new digital technology further increases safety and reliability, while also opening doors for future functions that are now starting to be rolled out. VBG Driver Assist is a brand-new concept for VBG and the industry as a whole. The system is based on radar technology through which the truck senses the position of the drawbar and then warns the driver when there is a risk of jackknifing as well as guides the driver during coupling. This increases safety for the driver, saves time during coupling, and reduces the risk of unnecessary repair costs. Field trials have been underway for more than two years, and the system is now fine-tuned and ready for customers. VBG aims to make everyday life in the road transport industry safer and simpler. To accomplish this, a completely new CAN bus-based electrical infrastructure has been developed which, together with digital sensors, will facilitate functional growth in the future. This provides considerable development potential moving forward, and the first step towards digitised functions, which will make the workday simpler and safer for drivers, is now ready for launch through VBG Driver Assist. www.vbggroupsales.eu Hydrogen is not currently a realistic zero emissions alternative to electric vans and fleets waiting to see if the situation changes are probably set for disappointment, believes the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP). Paul Hollick, chair, said that the AFT is aware of a sizeable minority of fleet managers, mainly with extensive light commercial vehicle operations, who are waiting to see whether hydrogen would become viable in the short-medium term. He said: “We’ve discussed this topic at some length at every level of the AFP and our conclusions are clear. Electric is effectively the only option when it comes to the future of zero emissions vans in the UK for at least the next decade. Hydrogen is simply not happening in any meaningful way and there is no real sign of that situation changing. In Germany, there is significant state support for the expansion of hydrogen but government commitment here is low. It is clear that as far as the vast majority of road transport is concerned, our politicians see electric as the future. Fleets waiting for hydrogen to emerge as a realistic alternative are almost certainty set for disappointment.” Paul explained that operators hoping for a hydrogen solution to occur were quite often those who also had significant reservations about the viability of electric for their van operations. “It is becoming clear to a significant proportion of operators that electric vans will not always be able to replace existing petrol or diesel models on a like-for-like basis because of compromises over range, charging times and payload. That means that they’ll often have to change their operational model and cause a degree of disruption to their business. “Hydrogen appears to provide a solution to this situation because of the promise of ease of refuelling. However, there are only around than a dozen hydrogen filling stations in the whole country and literally no programme for widespread expansion. Rapid filling-up of a vehicle is meaningless when the nearest pump is 100 miles or more away. Paul added that accepting your van fleet would become electrified over the next decade was an important step when it came to identifying solutions that would work for you. “It is no exaggeration to say that the number one task currently facing light commercial vehicle fleets is to resolve the infrastructure and operational issues that will maximise electric van effectiveness as the transition away from ICE happens over the next few years. “There are no easy answers to some of the questions created by this situation but fleet managers and organisations such as the AFP are working to find new ways of maximising the effectiveness of EVs – and making substantial progress almost month-by-month.” Hydrogen is not realistic zero emissions alternative to electric vans for fleets, says AFP Paul Hollick
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