Road Trip, but in Comfort

The database Statista counted 3,149,000 registered trucks in Germany in 2019. Ten years earlier, there were only 2,347,000. In 2018, they covered a distance of 65.7 billion kilometers. An impressive figure that represents a constantly growing challenge for drivers and fleet managers.

After all, drivers spend a lot of time in the cab. They sit in their driver’s seat for long periods, fighting through heavy traffic until, after many hours, they seek out a quiet spot on the roadside or a service area for some rest – in the truck’s sleeping berth. A tough job. But in order to make this somewhat easier, the cab should be as comfortable as possible - good cab suspension also plays a part in this.

A Cab Suspension for All Purposes

Our Electronic Air Spring Damping System is a suspension system that makes life on the road – as well as that of fleet managers in the office – much more comfortable and efficient. The air spring damper modules are equipped with sensors and an electronic control unit. The purely pneumatic system ensures that the damping capacity of the cab is automatically and optimally adjusted to suit different weights and road conditions in a load-adaptive and frequency-selective manner. The entire driver’s cab can also be lowered as required in order to reduce air resistance. The driver hardly notices vibrations, shocks or loud noises. Even when stationary, the system makes life much easier for drivers.

Patrik Braun, Head of Development for Electronic Air Spring Damping Systems at Continental: “It's a burden for drivers if the driver's cab can't be brought into a level position. It's where they have to sleep and work. With our Electronic Air Spring Damping System, the cab can be moved into a horizontal position at the push of a button.”

For example: A driver has almost reached his maximum permitted driving time. He needs to find a place to sleep. As always, the best spots are already taken. He has a choice between a sloping parking bay or parking on the curb – both options put the truck in a slanted position. Not very comfortable for sleeping. However, at the touch of a button, the driver can now regulate the cab level and compensate for the slanted position. The next morning, he continues his journey to the customer. At the checkpoint, the driver wants to quickly hand over some documents from his cab window. But the cab is too high. No problem, once again, he can lower the cab on one side at the touch of a button – and the driver is able to hand over the documents from his seat.

A win-win for Drivers and Fleet Managers

And his boss? The fleet manager is delighted to have a reliable employee who feels comfortable in his job and to whom he is able to offer the best possible comfort on the road. He can feel comfortable as well thanks to the electronic suspension system. This is because the sensors are designed to collect status data regarding the air spring, which the fleet manager can access whenever required, enabling him to ensure preventive maintenance. “The data tells him, for example, the pressure and temperature of the air springs, or how heavily loaded the system is. This means that freight companies can coordinate their fleet management in the most effective and efficient way possible. This includes route optimization, because thanks to the possibilities of digitalization, there's virtually no limit to the applications,” explains Patrik Braun, Head of Development for Electronic Air Spring Damping Systems at Continental.“

A life on the road is and remains an adventure – but one with a comfortable seat and sleeping facilities.