Mercedes Benz Tourismo Safety Coaches - Safety Coaches from Daimler Buses define the state of the art in technology for bus and coach safety

• The integral safety concept of Daimler Buses
• 2004: “Travego innovation leader”, pioneer of the Safety Coaches
• 2006: Safety Coach demonstration vehicle based on the Travego
• 2009: Safety Coach with Active Brake Assist and Front Collision Guard
• 2013: Safety Coach Travego Edition 1, Active Brake Assist 2
• 2014: Safety Coach with Active Brake Assist 3
• 2018: Safety Coach Tourismo, Active Brake Assist 4 and Sideguard Assist
• 2024: Safety Coach with Active Brake Assist 6, Sideguard Assist 2 and Frontguard Assist

At Daimler Buses, safety is not just a necessity, it's a passion. That is why the company has decisively pushed forward the development of safety and assistance systems in recent years (and for decades) and has also developed an integral safety concept. With its Safety Coaches, Daimler Buses has traditionally defined the state of the art in safety technology.

The integral safety concept of Daimler Buses

At Daimler Buses, safety does not consist of individual measures, but of a comprehensive integral safety concept. As a premium brand, Mercedes‑Benz aspires not only to meet the highest safety standards already established, but also to drive improvements forward in all areas.

The integral safety concept consists of a multitude of components. The basis is provided by outstanding handling and a superb chassis, as well as by operating safety and driver fitness thanks to an exemplary driver’s cockpit. In addition, every bus and coach from Daimler Buses is equipped with a wide range of innovative safety features for specific vehicles and applications.

This is supported by numerous measures, such as driver safety training or passenger information on how to handle the safety equipment on board. All this is complemented by responsible maintenance and the use of tested genuine spare parts for servicing. The goal of the integral safety concept is ambitious: turning the vision of accident-free driving into reality.

Mercedes‑Benz: a tradition of safety

The list of safety innovations from Mercedes‑Benz is long. As early as the early eighties, the company proved the strength of its bodies in the first rollover tests. In 1981, Mercedes‑Benz introduced the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), four years later the automated transmission, and in 1986 the anti-slip control system (ASR).

Mercedes‑Benz also pioneered the introduction of the Electronic Brake System (EBS) in 1997, a prerequisite for today’s electronically based safety and assistance systems. Bright xenon headlamps and the Reversing Pilot in the exterior mirrors followed in 1999. Three years later, Mercedes‑Benz introduced the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) as a special request, and one year later it became standard equipment in the Travego, together with Brake Assist (BA).

2004: “Travego innovation leader”, pioneer of the Safety Coaches

For almost 20 years, the pioneering work of practically all safety and assistance systems has been reflected in the Safety Coaches. Each of them defines the state of the art of safety technology for buses and coaches at their respective time.

The “Travego innovation leader” concept vehicle was the forerunner in 2004. Here Mercedes‑Benz presented three fundamentally new safety systems as a world première: Adaptive Cruise Control (ART), Lane Assist (SPA) and Continuous Braking Limiter (DBL).

2006: Safety Coach demonstration vehicle based on the Travego

The developments resulted in the Safety Coach demo vehicle based on the Travego in 2006. According to experts, there was no safer touring coach because it combined all the available safety technologies. These now included Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Assist from the Travego innovation leader, while the Continuous Braking Limiter had already been introduced.

2009: Safety Coach with Active Brake Assist and Front Collision Guard

Development continued apace – in 2009, the second Safety Coach shone with a ground-breaking innovation that Mercedes‑Benz had presented a year earlier: the first generation of Active Brake Assist for buses. If Active Brake Assist (an emergency braking system) detects the acute risk of a rear-end collision with a slower vehicle in front, it emits a series of warnings before initiating maximum full-stop braking. Mercedes‑Benz additionally introduced Front Collision Guard (FCG), a passive safety system to protect the driver and front passenger in the event of a frontal impact. The complex safety system consists of a transverse profile as an underride guard, crash elements for targeted energy dissipation and a sliding driver’s workplace including steering, pedals and seat on a massive frame section.

2013: Safety Coach Travego Edition 1, Active Brake Assist 2

The next Safety Coach continued development with the second generation of Active Brake Assist. In addition to the functions of ABA 1, this could now also detect stationary obstacles and trigger partial braking, for example, in the event of a sudden traffic jam on the
motorway – yet another milestone. Attention Assist was also new. This uses parameters such as steering angle, speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, driving time, control signals, and driver changes to determine the driver’s fitness. If the data suggests distraction and fatigue, a coffee cup symbol appears in the display to indicate that a break is necessary.

Using the buttons on the new multifunction steering wheel, the driver can call up a wide range of information on the colour display of the new instrument panel. For added safety, the telephone and hands-free system and the basic functions of the audio system can also be easily operated via the steering wheel keypad.

The fully automated transmission is now controlled by a steering column lever, which is clear and easy to use. The lever is a reference to the new fully automated eight-speed Mercedes‑Benz GO 250-8 PowerShift transmission for buses and coaches introduced at the time. The driver also benefits from a crawler mode similar to that of automatic torque converter transmissions. It enables sensitive manoeuvring just by pressing the brake pedal. Daytime running lights with LED lamps are just as much a safety feature as the new optionally available tyre pressure monitoring system, which avoids dangerous tyre damage.

2014: Safety Coach with Active Brake Assist 3

Once again, a safety system celebrated its world première for buses and coaches at Mercedes‑Benz in this year: Active Brake Assist 3 independently initiates maximum full-stop braking for stationary obstacles. As a result, rear-end collisions with stationary obstacles – for example, at the end of a traffic jam – can not only be mitigated as before, but even avoided.

During the course of the year, Mercedes‑Benz also introduced Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC). Based on three-dimensional map data, this anticipatory cruise control knows the topography of virtually all European motorways and major roads. It combines this data with current information about vehicle operation and actively intervenes in the transmission control on this basis. PPC proactively adapts both the speed and the transmission to the topography. This not only noticeably reduces fuel consumption, but also takes the strain off the driver.

These systems also provided the impetus for a Mercedes‑Benz Safety Coach. And once again, there would be no safer touring coach in the world.

2018: Safety Coach Tourismo, Active Brake Assist 4 and Sideguard Assist

The Tourismo Safety Coach continued the great tradition of the safest touring coaches. The focus was on not one, but two innovations. Active Brake Assist 4 is the first emergency braking assistant in a bus or coach to trigger a braking manoeuvre in response to pedestrians. The likewise new Sideguard Assist warns about pedestrians, cyclists and stationary obstacles when turning right. At the same time, it serves as a lane-changing aid when changing lanes to the right or during overtaking manoeuvres. Other features included surround lighting when reversing, with reversing lights mounted on the sides as a valuable aid when manoeuvring. Such advances made at least one thing certain: there would be no end to continuing developments.

2024: Safety Coach Tourismo, Active Brake Assist 6, Sideguard Assist 2 and MirrorCam

This sixth edition of the Safety Coach now boasts the largest number of safety and assistance systems to date in the long line of its predecessors, and consequently does full credit to the name “Safety Coach”. With its extended detection of moving pedestrians and cyclists, Active Brake Assist 6 covers more than the legally required functions for emergency braking assistants and can even detect obstacles in motorway bends. Sideguard Assist 2, the second generation of Sideguard Assist, now detects moving pedestrians and cyclists even better and also covers the area on the driver’s side for the first time. In combination with the new Frontguard Assist, which monitors the area immediately in front of the vehicle, this results in a complete warning system for obstacles and people at the sides and in front of the coach. Another new feature on board is Traffic Sign Assist, which warns the driver in the event of excessive speed.