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45 AutoData | December 2018 Left to right, Erodes Berbetz, Walter Barbosa, Luiz Carlos Moraes and Curt Axthelm I n July, the Brazilian market for buses saw the launch of the first model equipped with semiautonomous technology: the Mercedes-Benz O 500. The technological advance was decisive for its election as Bus of the 2018 AutoData Award. It is equipped with adaptive autopilot, or ACC, which reduces the risk of accidents providing more safety for passengers, drivers and other vehicles on the road. Thanks to sensors, the system identifies the vehicles ahead up to 200 meters, even under mist. If the driver does not react, the system acts automatically by braking the vehicle to avoid a possible impact. The ACC also accelerates the vehicle automatically and is disabled at a speed lower than 15 km/h. In addition to the ACC’s, the O 500 buses bring thirteen more safety items, such as AEBS, emergency braking system, LDWS, lane change warning system, TPMS, pressure and temperature monitoring of tires, anti-rollover system and traction control . The vehicles also stand out for systems that promote fuel economy. There is the RKM, which takes advantage of the electric power energy produced by the alternators of the vehicle, mainly in the moments of deceleration, and stores it in super capacitors that act in autonomous way. The stored electric energy is used as an additional source during the acceleration moments of the bus. In tests the system achieved average savings close to 2%. There is also the EIS, Engine Idle Shutdown: if the bus is stopped, but with the engine still on, the transmission in the neutral position and the hand brake engaged, and the situation lasts for a period of more than 4 minutes, the system comes into action and automatically switches off the engine. It is a very common situation in garages, bus stations, urban terminals and stopovers. Walter Barbosa, director of sales and bus marketing for Mercedes-Benz do Brasil, praised: “This award makes us proud and motivates us to keep searching for technologies that increase performance levels, comfort, safety, economy and environmental compatibility of the brand’s buses. This is also an award for passengers who use our buses daily across this immense country and who can count on vehicles that are increasingly safer and comfortable to come and go in complete peace and the well-being of being on board”. Rafael Cusato “This award makes us proud and motivates us to keep searching for technologies that raise the level of performance, comfort, safety, economy and environmental compatibility of our buses. It is also a prize for the passengers who use our vehicles every day.” Walter Barbosa, director of sales and bus marketing