Freightliner expands Detroit Assurance safety features
Daimler Truck North America is expanding Detroit Assurance safety capabilities in Freightliner trucks with the introduction of Cross Traffic Assist and Active Side Guard Assist 2 with left turn protection for Cascadias featuring Active Break Assist 6 (ABA6) beginning next year.
“Safety at Freightliner has consistently been shaped by customer needs, and by embracing a holistic, long-term perspective,” Joanna Buttler, DTNA general manager for product strategy and market development, said in a news release. “Each enhancement to the Detroit Assurance Suite of Safety Systems reflects careful decisions about where added capability can make a meaningful difference for fleets and drivers. The latest ABA6 features extend that approach, strengthening active safety while aligning with how commercial vehicle operation is expected to evolve over time.”
Intersections and turning maneuvers consistently rank among the most complex and high-risk situations for commercial vehicles, making them an important focus area for the latest ABA 6 feature enhancements, DTNA said.
New Cross Traffic Assist is designed to help detect vehicles crossing the truck’s forward path at intersections—an operating environment where visibility and reaction time can be limited. Using radar inputs to monitor cross traffic movement, the system can provide visual and audible warnings when a potential collision risk is identified and, when conditions warrant and within defined system limits, support the response with partial or full braking to help mitigate or reduce the severity of a collision.
Active Side Guard Assist 2 with left turn protection expands Freightliner’s sideguard functionality beyond right-hand braking on pedestrians and cyclists to address the added complexity of left turns, particularly in environments where traffic patterns and closing speeds can change quickly. When the left turn signal is engaged, the system is designed to monitor the vehicle’s intended path for oncoming traffic that could intersect. If a potential hazard is detected, the system can issue visual and audible alerts and, in some cases, apply partial or full braking before the vehicle enters the collision zone.
ABA6 advances Detroit Assurance safety
Detroit Assurance with ABA6—available now and standard on all Freightliner Fifth Generation Cascadias—brings a coordinated, vehicle‑level approach to active safety, DTNA added. It’s built on a sensing and software foundation that includes four short-range radar units, one long-range radar unit, and a multi-purpose camera fused together and integrated for advanced decision-making capability. The system provides 270-degree monitoring around the truck and up to a standard 53-ft. trailer.
ABA 6 is designed to address an expanded set of collision scenarios, including visible vehicles in curves, vehicles in adjacent lanes, stationary offset vehicles commonly present following roadway incidents, and moving or stationary pedestrians and bicyclists.
In addition to the newly introduced ABA 6 capabilities planned for 2027, The Detroit Assurance suite includes advanced driver assistance technologies that are available today, including Active Lane Assist 2 (ALA2), which can be spec’d to benefit drivers and fleets by helping to keep a truck centered in its lane and correct lane swerving when it occurs. Enabled by an electric motor integrated at the steering column, the system supports smoother vehicle control and greater comfort for drivers by reducing vibrations, as well as offering steering assistance in cross winds, after blow-outs, and during low-speed maneuvering.
Orders for Detroit Assurance with Active Brake Assist 6, including Cross Traffic Assist and Active Side Guard Assist 2, are expected to open in the third quarter of 2026, with production beginning in January 2027, DTNA reported.