62 The trucks produced in Brazil are on a par with those in more mature markets. Whether by regulatory imposition or demand from the market, manufacturers today deliver advanced technology capable of ensuring productivity and profitability in transport. Topography memorization devices that adjust gears, average speed and braking, traction control and stability features, lanechanging sensors and warnings about the distance between vehicles are increasingly common in Brazilian products. Such evolution is also seen in cargo vehicles. New materials, more efficient and precise production processes, and the constant development of engineering have resulted in profitable technological leaps. On average, today’s trucks weigh 5% less than ten years ago. Innovation in the segment has also contributed to a doubling of transport capacity from 25 tons to 50 tons by the same tractor trucks in this period. These are more than sufficient arguments to identify the profitability gains made per delivery by carriers. Gains on all sides The improvements have not stopped and the search for more efficient cargo trucks continues. Some technology is already available, although there are obstacles in the market that holds it back. The benefits of air suspension in semi-trailers are well known. By better absorbing bumps, they produce less tire wear, reduce fuel consumption, streamline maintenance and minimize its costs, while protecting the cargo. “In general, air suspension makes cargo transport safer and lowers costs for the carrier,” says Esdânio Pereira, director of the suspension division at Suspensys, a Randon group company. Despite the technical superiority of air suspension over conventional solutions, it is estimated that in Brazil its participation in the fleet is 10% to 20%, while in Europe it is used in 95% of vehicles. The director of Suspensys, however, recalls that the technology is relatively recent in Brazil, introduced about fifteen years ago, but has been growing every year and this will bring prices down. In his company, says Pereira, the technology already accounts for around 15% of the trucks produced in Caxias do Sul (Rio Grande do Sul state). Kimio Mori, head of strategic development at Noma, says there is a lack of information in the transport segment, which inhibits air suspension in the market: “There are some myths that need to be overturned. There are a lot of people in the industry who still believe that technology is fragile, that bags burst with overloading, and that makes the composition less stable .It’s all nonsense. It’s just the opposite. “ New laws Maintenance is another point in favor of air suspension. Besides the ease and speed with which the bags can be replaced, it does not require lubrication. “Anyone can change them,” says Mori. “Unlike metal suspension that takes longer in the workshop.” The two executives also say air suspension offers direct benefits to the country’s infrastructure. In having a more elastic stroke than metal springs and in better absorbing bumps, tires oscillate less on the asphalt, helping preserve it for longer. “Imagine what a load of computers travels on the roads of Brazil goes through in a truck with mechanical suspension,” says Mori. “It’s a fact that air suspension does less damage to loads. In some European countries the transport sector has made a 4% gain because the solution is less harmful to the roads.” In Brazil, air suspension is more common in trucks carrying fragile goods, such as glass, electronics and liquids. It is also a legal requirement on the first axle of a three-axle semi-trailer, often used as tankers for the transfer of dangerous cargo, although it is also used in several other applications. Air suspension and dangerous loads go together, which says a lot for the advancement of the technology, because of the conditions they create. Unlike metal springs, air suspension allows the use of electronic resources, which increases safety. Air suspension has been, along with ABS, obligatory in trucks since 2013.This was a giant leap compared with the conventional system. The next step will be the introduction of EBS, the braking force distributor between the wheels that avoids rolling and more correctly defined as a Trailer Roll Stability Program (T-RSP). “We are hoping is becomes obligatory in 2022, according to the legislative schedule,” says Antônio Silva, head of the commercial area of trailer division at Knorr-Bremse in South America. “For now, it is only required for dangerous and explosive loads.” Silva says it will only make sense if tractor trucks have the same technology or, at least, ABS: “While EBS improves truck drivability, in trailers it prevents tipping, but needs a continuous power supply, hence the need to work in conjunction with the truck.” As demand is still low, T-RSP is only imported at the moment but, according to the Knorr-Bremse executive, there is nothing to prevent it from being manufactured here in the near future: “It’s a matter of scale.” Pneumatic suspension and electronic braking and stability systems are on the agenda for the industry as it goes in search of comfort, safety and lower operating costs Evolution of the species TECNOLOGIA | TECHNOLOGY | TECNOLOGÍA
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