WABCO Announces Agreement to Supply OnGuardPLUS Technology, a Breakthrough Emergency Braking System, to a Major Commercial Vehicle Manufacturer in Europe
BRUSSELS, Belgium, February 21, 2012 – WABCO Holdings Inc. (NYSE: WBC), a global technology leader and tier-one supplier to the commercial vehicle industry, today announced that it has entered into a long term agreement with a global manufacturer of commercial vehicles to supply the vehicle maker’s European operations with WABCO’s breakthrough OnGuardPLUS™ technology, an advanced emergency braking system (AEBS). It marks the first adoption of OnGuardPLUS technology in Europe.
After a phase of ramping up, series production is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2013 and WABCO expects to furnish more than 50,000 OnGuardPLUS systems annually.
OnGuardPLUS is the commercial vehicle industry’s first system in compliance with the European Union’s expected regulation to make AEBS mandatory on new heavy commercial vehicles in all 27 EU member countries from November 2013. AEBS is also expected to become mandatory in up to 29 other countries worldwide where AEBS should be adopted per the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Regulation 13 for braking.
OnGuardPLUS reduces risk of colliding with moving vehicles ahead as well as decelerating vehicles ahead that come to a standstill. It fully applies brakes in imminent collision situations. It provides the driver with acoustic and visual warning. It autonomously initiates emergency braking, enables maximum possible deceleration and can bring the vehicle to a complete stop. It also reacts to stationary vehicles ahead, for example, when approaching traffic congestion.
“WABCO’s OnGuardPLUS is the commercial vehicle industry’s first and most advanced emergency braking system, and it offers customers a significantly increased level of vehicle safety while also improving driver effectiveness,” said Jean-Christophe Figueroa, WABCO Vice President, Vehicle Control Systems. “This new business marks another major achievement in safety innovation through early adoption of OnGuardPLUS in Europe, further strengthening WABCO’s technology leadership worldwide as we continue together with other participants in our industry to substantially reduce the number of commercial vehicle accidents by 2020.”
As previously disclosed, WABCO has entered into a long term agreement to supply OnGuardPLUS systems for series production at Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles. AEBS is also expected to become mandatory in South Korea.
WABCO’s breakthrough OnGuardPLUS system builds on the company’s innovative OnGuard™ safety technology. As of 2011, customers in North America have driven collectively more than 2 billion highway miles (over 3.2 billion kilometers) protected by OnGuard safety systems.
About WABCO
WABCO (NYSE: WBC) is a leading global supplier of technologies and control systems for the safety and efficiency of commercial vehicles. For over 140 years, WABCO has pioneered breakthrough electronic, mechanical and mechatronic technologies for braking, stability and transmission automation systems supplied to the world’s leading commercial truck, trailer and bus manufacturers. With sales of $2.8 billion in 2011, WABCO is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. For more information, visit www.wabco-auto.com
