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TARS Eliminates Semi-Cab Rollovers and Keeps Drivers on the Right Path

Truck rollovers are worryingly frequent and oftentimes drivers end up badly injured or even dead. An American-based company came up with a solution to eliminate tractor rollovers and keep drivers safe and upright.
AXIS TARS Fifth-Wheel 5 photos
Photo: Axicle
Axicle TARS Fifth-WheelAxicle TARS Fifth-WheelAxicle TARS Fifth-WheelAxicle TARS Fifth-Wheel
Axicle’s TARS (tractor anti-roll system) has a fifth-wheel coupling design and can be used with any Class 8 tractor. It can handle loads up to 55,000 pounds and it is easy to couple and decouple. It comes with a quick-release system and a pin that pops out when you properly secure the kingpin.

If the trailer starts to roll, either due to wind or driver error, the Axicle system immediately drops the trailer altogether in a millisecond, to maintain the front cabin upright and keep the driver safe.

The TARS brings some other useful features to the table as well. It packs in smart sensors that collect important data related to your load, the wind, and vibration.

The technology used by Axicle could save up to $3,000 a year per semi truck on insurance premiums, according to Axicle founder and engineer Steve Krug, quoted by New Atlas.

Krug added that the TARS would cost around $4,000 and a prototype ready for production will be tested at full scale with heavy loads by the end of this year. So far, the TARS has only been tested with low loads.

Axicle gives us some interesting statistics to convince us of the immediate need for a more efficient and safe coupling. According to the manufacturer, there are over 9,000 injuries and deaths related to the trucking industry in the United States each year.

More than $3.5 billion in insurance payouts per year in the United States are related to injuries and deaths caused in Class 8 rollover accidents. The TARS fifth-wheel can save over 400 lives per year and save us up to 25 percent every year.
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About the author: Cristina Mircea
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Cristina’s always found writing more comfortable to do than speaking, which is why she chose print over broadcast media in college. When she’s not typing, she also loves riding non-motorized two-wheelers, going on hikes with her dog, and rocking her electric guitars.
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