(ffm) Frankfurter Entsorgungs- und Service GmbH is making a big push for safety in Frankfurt's city traffic. Already 20 percent of the large refuse collection vehicles are equipped with an electronic turn-off assistant. It uses a radar sensor on the right side of the vehicle to detect cyclists or pedestrians in the blind spot and warns the driver with a visual and acoustic signal.
"The safety of road users in Frankfurt and the protection of our own drivers is very important to us," says Managing Director Dirk Remmert. "As the company responsible for municipal waste disposal and street cleaning in Frankfurt, we are aware of the potential danger posed by our fleet of around 700 units. That's why, when the new technology became available for trucks weighing 7.5 tons or more, we didn't hesitate."
As the company continues to modernise its fleet, the proportion of FES trucks fitted with the turn assist system will continue to increase. The extent to which older vehicles can be retrofitted is currently being investigated. The company is currently working with camera systems. The technology is not currently available for light trucks under 7.5 tons, according to the manufacturing companies.
Especially cycling associations are currently calling for the legal obligation of a turn-off assistant. The introduction of a legal obligation to introduce it is under consideration at federal or EU level
