Photo: Daimler AG
In the last couple of decades or so, the arrival of an increasing number of innovations in the field of active safety has made cars safer and safer, with the safest ones obviously being the most expensive as well.
As most of you know, Mercedes-Benz is arguably the most innovative car manufacturer when it comes to safety measures, despite not having the same aura of invincibility or the safety-based marketing as the Swedes from Volvo.
With that being said, the Stuttgart engineers are responsible for quite a lot of the safety systems that we now take for granted in lots of mass-produced automobiles, with modern airbags, anti-lock brakes or electronic stability control being introduced first by Mercedes-Benz.
Over the years, not only Mercedes-Benz passenger cars became safer, but utilitarian wearers of the three-pointed star as well.
For example, the current Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is now arguably the best large van from this point of view, with the facelifted model even introducing active safety systems that aren't found at any other manufacturer in this segment.
One of such systems is Crosswind Assist, which can prevent quite a lot headaches for van drivers during longer trips.
In short, Crosswind Assist detects if strong wind gusts are acting upon the vehicle from the sides and it stabilizes it through the individual actuation of brakes, via the electronic stability program (ESP). Thanks to this system, the unsafe interference of the wind is counteracted, therefore inappropriate driver reactions are prevented.
Activated from a speed of 80 km/h (50 mph), Crosswind Assist is now standard equipment on a number of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter variants, including the panel van, crewbus and open models. It is the only van in its segment to offer such a technology.
With that being said, the Stuttgart engineers are responsible for quite a lot of the safety systems that we now take for granted in lots of mass-produced automobiles, with modern airbags, anti-lock brakes or electronic stability control being introduced first by Mercedes-Benz.
Over the years, not only Mercedes-Benz passenger cars became safer, but utilitarian wearers of the three-pointed star as well.
For example, the current Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is now arguably the best large van from this point of view, with the facelifted model even introducing active safety systems that aren't found at any other manufacturer in this segment.
One of such systems is Crosswind Assist, which can prevent quite a lot headaches for van drivers during longer trips.
In short, Crosswind Assist detects if strong wind gusts are acting upon the vehicle from the sides and it stabilizes it through the individual actuation of brakes, via the electronic stability program (ESP). Thanks to this system, the unsafe interference of the wind is counteracted, therefore inappropriate driver reactions are prevented.
Activated from a speed of 80 km/h (50 mph), Crosswind Assist is now standard equipment on a number of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter variants, including the panel van, crewbus and open models. It is the only van in its segment to offer such a technology.
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