The new Kenworth T680 Next Generation is available with the optional Torque Assisted Steering and Lane Keeping Assist as part of Kenworth’s suite of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technologies. 

The new Torque Assisted Steering is designed to reduce driver fatigue by providing additional torque to the steering column. The amount of torque assist is based on vehicle speed, with higher speeds resulting in less assistance and a tighter steering feel. Drivers traveling at low speeds will notice a lighter steering feel and more torque assist. The system adjusts accordingly to varying driving conditions and applies necessary torque to best handle adverse driving conditions such as heavy crosswinds. 

The Lane Keeping Assist option is designed to help drivers stay in their lane. The system uses camera input to identify when the truck is departing the lane and provides a “nudge” to correct the direction of the truck. The feature requires Bendix® Fusion® and comes with Torque Assisted Steering.

“Kenworth continues to roll out new technologies that benefit our customers,” said Joe Adams, Kenworth’s chief engineer. “In testing these new systems, we’re confident that they’ll improve the overall driving experience by reducing fatigue and stress.”

Other advanced driver assistance technology available for the Kenworth T680 Next Gen includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Collision Mitigation, and Side Object Detection.

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is integrated with your standard cruise control, and “reads” traffic conditions via a front-facing radar sensor and modulates the throttle and the brakes to keep the truck at a pre-set distance from the vehicle in front of it. Then, when the slowdowns clear, the system re-accelerates the vehicle back to the set speed.

Kenworth’s Lane Departure Warning system helps combat lane drift due to fatigue and distractions. When activated, the system continually monitors the truck’s location related to lane markings and automatically emits a distinctive audible warning whenever an unintended lane change (unsignaled) is detected – alerting the driver to make a correction.

The Kenworth Collision Mitigation system detects when the truck may be about to collide with another vehicle or object, alerts and assists the driver by taking pre-emptive braking action – when necessary – helping the driver potentially avoid or reduce the severity of a collision.

Kenworth’s Side Object Detection system continuously monitors the passenger side of the truck, and provides the driver with audible and visual alerts when an object or vehicle has entered certain zones.