A Review of the Safety Alert Systems in Commercial Vehicles: Implementation Challenges and Trends for Electronic Logic Devices and In-Cab Alerts

Abstract

The trucking industry is crucial to the US economy, accounting for 73.1% of the value, 71.1% of the cargo, and 42.0% of the ton-miles of all commodities transported nationwide. Despite its pivotal role, the industry is affected by high crash rates, with truck crashes resulting in 5,472 fatalities in 2023 alone. These incidents not only exhibit a higher fatality rate per vehicle mile compared with passenger cars but also cause substantial economic disruptions. Predominantly, these crashes are attributed to the failure to stop or slow down because of insufficient sight distances. In recent years, trucking companies have implemented various technologies, such as alert systems and external logging devices, to mitigate crashes related to harsh braking. However, no comprehensive studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of these technologies. This paper aims to bridge these knowledge gaps by focusing on the efficacy of safety alert systems within the trucking industry. An extensive literature review was undertaken to ascertain the effectiveness of specific alerts under various conditions. The findings are summarized toward the end of this paper, accompanied by appropriate recommendations for advancing the use of these safety systems. Ultimately, this research will provide future researchers with a deeper understanding of safety alert-related technologies in the heavy commercial vehicle industry and aid in expanding these findings.