At this year's IAA Commercial Vehicles, Daimler Buses came up with new technologies and exciting product presentations. Together with our colleagues from Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Vans, we showed what our customers can look forward to in the coming years on an area the size of three football pitches. A brief overview.
Electrification, autonomous driving, digitization and even more safety. These topics have been increasingly affecting the automotive industry for years and do not stop at commercial vehicles either. We at Daimler Buses are very well positioned in the trade fair of 2018 and look forward to presenting the latest developments to our customers at the IAA.
The IAA 2018 focused on the world premieres of the fully electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro and the new minibuses as well as the IAA premieres of the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo and Setra TopClass S 531 DT.
The new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro is our first important step towards the electrification of public transport. In the current configuration, in other words with the current battery generation, we already cover about one third of the average daily distances of public transport companies. In order to make local public transport completely emission-free as quickly as possible, we are working on various technology paths: In two years' time, we will not only be installing the next generation of lithium-ion batteries, but will also have so-called solid-state batteries in our range. And shortly afterwards, we also want to offer the eCitaro with a fuel cell range extender.
In order to make the transition to the electric bus as " tension-free " as possible, we also consult our customers in all relevant subject areas around the planning and operation of eBus fleets. In order to be able to exploit the full potential of eCitaro, our eMobility Consulting examines the expectations, wishes and requirements of our customers. If required, the transport companies are supplied with advice on the entire planning and implementation of the operation of an electric bus, such as charging infrastructure, route planning and maintenance.
The new Mercedes Benz Sprinter forms the basis for a new generation of successful minibuses with a star. They are divided into the Sprinter City, Sprinter Transfer, Sprinter Mobility and Sprinter Travel series and will be introduced gradually. The Sprinter City 75 (https://www.daimler.com/produkte/busse/mercedes-benz/minibusse.html) plays an outstanding role: Thanks to its extended wheelbase, the compact city bus with an independent frame structure offers a large low-floor platform and, thanks to its exclusive high-load rear axle, a high passenger capacity.
Assistance systems as the basis for a strong security offensive
Mercedes Benz and Setra are once again setting new standards in active safety for city buses and coaches with new assistance systems. The Active Brake Assist 4 for coaches is the first emergency brake assistant to also brake pedestrians. It will become standard equipment in the coaches of Mercedes-Benz and Setra in 2019. The Preventive Brake Assist is the world's first active brake assistant for city buses. Finally, the Sideguard Assist is the first cornering assistant for buses to warn pedestrians, cyclists and stationary obstacles when turning off. It is available for all Mercedes Benz and Setra buses and coaches.
Digital services: maximum availability, fleet management and spare parts purchasing
With OMNIplus On, the service for buses and coaches becomes digital and opens up new possibilities through networking. Digital services are clearly bundled in the OMNIplus On Internet portal. OMNIplus On is based on four pillars. "OMNIplus On advance" ensures bus companies maximum availability of their fleet, for example with the OMNIplus Uptime service for monitoring the relevant vehicle systems in real time. "OMNIplus On monitor" combines telematics services for efficient fleet control. "OMNIplus On drive" ensures communication between the driver and the company and supports the driver, for example, in the mandatory daily departure control. "Finally, "OMNIplus On commerce" enables bus companies to make fast and targeted purchases around the clock, for example of spare parts.