Volvo Enhanced Stability Technology (VEST)

Staff

VHD vocational trucks built for concrete mixer duty are now standard with Volvo Enhanced Stability Technology (VEST) to reduce the possibility of rollovers in the high-center-of-gravity vehicles. Made by Bendix, VEST uses the truck’s anti-lock braking system and traction control to monitor wheel speeds and compare them with other dynamic motions in the chassis and, if necessary, reduce power and apply individual brakes to lessen the chance of rollovers. VEST uses sensors to determine steering angle, lateral acceleration, and pressure in the rear suspension’s air bags to measure driver input and vehicle response in rapidly changing situations. A modified ABS electronic control unit uses an advanced software algorithm to determine when the vehicle is approaching a critical safety threshold. This algorithm is developed through extensive testing for each vehicle configuration, and Volvo decided to first design it for the complex six-axle configuration often used for mixers. Other axle configurations for VHD mixers will follow, and it is available for other applications. VEST is also standard across Volvo’s entire range of VN and VT highway tractors.