Daimler CEO responds to national regulator's recent blueprint
Daimler Australia’s president and CEO has lauded the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR’s) focus on encouraging truck safety and environmental advances.
Daniel Whitehead, picured above, praises the NHVR’s Vehicle Safety Environmental Technology Uptake Plan (SETUP), which sets out a pathway to remove red tape that currently limits the uptake of truck technology that reduces emissions and improves safety.
He says SETUP is a valuable contribution that has the potential to help the Australian transport industry operate more efficiently, cut emissions and ultimately reduce road accident trauma.
The full NHVR SETUP report is available here
“The NHVR has a critical role in being able to help the increased take up of life- saving safety technology and improved emission technology, so it is fantastic that the team has stepped up to advocate for positive change,” Whitehead says.
“The transport industry stands to benefit from the leadership shown on this issue by NHVR Chair, Duncan Gay, and its Chief Executive Officer, Sal Petroccitto.”
Whitehead pinpoints technology such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), which has been mandatory for new trucks sold in Europe for years, and included in Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and Fuso brands.
He says such vehicle enhancements should be more aggressively encouraged in Australia by lawmakers.
“Fleets who have taken up this technology in Australia and some of Daimler’s overseas markets have measured a dramatic reduction in costs from nose to tail accidents that either don’t happen or just aren’t as severe,” Whitehead says.
“So, even from a purely economical perspective, this technology makes sense. But that doesn’t take into account the reduction of road trauma and human cost that those accidents may have caused were it not for AEB.”
Whitehead is unequivocally supports accelerating Euro 6 emission standards vehicle uptake.
“Going to a Euro 6 engine reduces particulate matter by more than 99 per cent and reduces Nitrogen Oxide by more than 97 per cent, as well as being quieter,” Whitehead says.
“In our case, Daimler Euro 6 engines have also delivered fuel savings.”