Tim Sharp (pictured) was at the wheel of the Actros 2536L when a woman stepped off the kerb in front of him – and the truck’s Active Brake Assist 4 emergency braking system intervened instantly. “The vehicle picked up on her before I could, and brought me safely to a halt in good time. I didn’t touch anything; the truck did it all. And the speed with which it did so... I was just blown away,” he says.
Active Brake Assist 4 is part of the optional Mercedes-Benz Safety Pack – standard on road-going Actros tractors – which also includes Proximity Control Assist and a driver’s airbag.
Wilkin & Sons is best known for its Tiptree jams, which it makes in north Essex, and the 26-tonne Actros is part of an eight-strong fleet.
The latest arrival means seven of those are now Mercedes vehicles and were supplied by Orwell Truck & Van – in addition to rigids at 26, 18 and 7.5 tonnes gvw, the line-up includes an Actros 2546 MegaSpace tractor unit which has been on the road since 2006.
Transport manager Kevin King says: “We’re delivering to busy high streets and areas where there are lots of pedestrians, so we’ll seize any opportunity to maximise safety.
“Tim’s is the first new vehicle we’ve bought since Active Brake Assist 4 was introduced. His report on the incident when the woman stepped out in front of him is very reassuring, and emphatically justifies our investment in this ground-breaking technology.”