Driver training: Mastering critical situations

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The assistance systems from Mercedes-Benz do not patronize the driver, but support him. In many situations, technological control systems can react more rapidly and reliably than humans, although it is the driver who still bears the responsibility. This is why Daimler accords high priority to basic and advanced driver training – with introductory courses on new technologies, safety training courses, economical driving seminars, off-road training with construction site vehicles, special programs, and courses individually tailored to a particular enterprise.

Enlarge Daimler today offers by far the most extensive range of training courses for truck drivers. Around 65,000 truck drivers per year participate in Mercedes-Benz driver training programs, which along with courses for fuel reduction also include, for instance, braking with the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Brake Assist (BAS), overtaking on slippery road surfaces with ASR, the function and advantages of (Adaptive) ESP® in critical situations and with unexpected changes to road surface conditions, and the basics of securing loads.

However, the focus is not only on the driver: Mercedes-Benz also trains driving instructors, so that they in turn can inform their pupils not only of the latest technology, but also of correct and safe handling of the vehicle and its assistance systems.

Enlarge   Comfort and safety Fit, healthy drivers reach their destinations more safely. Many useful details make the driver‘s job easier and ensure that he is fit and rested when he goes about his work. The Actros, for instance, now for the first time includes a continuously variable level control system for horizontal adjustment of the high-comfort bed. And the optionally available auxiliary air conditioner makes for a constant air temperature.

Enlarge In the safety initiative “Safetyplus,” Daimler AG together with DEKRA and Allianz Versicherung is setting out to increase safety in the transportation sector. By means of state-of-the-art vehicle technology and comprehensive driver training courses, the frequency and severity of accidents is to be reduced. The “Safetyplus Driver” certificate documents the successful completion of a driving training course.