Daimler Truck's 270-Degree Sensor Fusion Leads 2027 Safety Rollout as Driver Handbooks Get Their Own Update
Published on 09/15/2026 at 02:21 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Two separate developments are converging on European roads in 2027: a fresh wave of onboard safety technology from Daimler Truck, and revised reference material for the people who will operate it.
New editions land ahead of a shifting rulebook
The updated driver handbooks "Berufskraftfahrer unterwegs 2027" and "Gefahrgutfahrer unterwegs 2027" were confirmed in mid-September 2026. The professional driver volume runs to 296 pages in its 34th edition, while the dangerous goods edition spans 356 pages across 28 editions. Both were compiled to reflect the technical and legal changes expected across European road freight next year.
Central to the content is ADR 2027, whose provisions become mandatory from July 2027. The books also cover current driving bans, applicable social regulations and load securing standards under VDI 2700.
Buyers of the printed volumes get access to the GEFAHR/GUT app as well — part of a broader push to put safety information directly in the cab in digital form.
Assistance systems arrive in April
Daimler Truck used IAA Transportation 2026 to unveil a new generation of safety and assistance systems, scheduled to reach Mercedes-Benz Actros and Arocs models plus Mercedes-Benz and Setra coaches from April 2027.
Headlining the package is the Active Cross Traffic Assist. Built on 270-degree sensor fusion, it can detect crossing vehicles at speeds of up to 120 km/h.
The Active Sideguard Assist 3 handles turning across both sides of the vehicle, spotting oncoming traffic at up to 120 km/h. It issues warnings up to 40 km/h and can brake autonomously between 0 and 20 km/h.
Automated driving at Level 2 comes via the Active Drive Assist 3, launching first on the Actros. Driver fatigue monitoring falls to the Attention Assist 2, which relies on an infrared camera.
Coaches get efficiency upgrades too
Daimler Buses is refreshing its coach line-up alongside the safety work. From 2027, revised OM 470 and OM 471 engine generations arrive, paired with transmissions including the ZF EcoLife CoachLine or ZF TraXon 2 Coach. On the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, that combination is projected to cut diesel consumption by up to 4 percent and AdBlue use by up to 9 percent.
Across the range, the manufacturer puts potential fuel savings at up to 6 percent depending on model. Oil change intervals extend to as much as 480,000 kilometres or four years.
The regulatory backdrop
All of this sits within the EU's General Safety Regulation, in force since July 2022. Its mandatory assistance system requirements aim to save more than 25,000 lives and prevent at least 140,000 serious injuries by 2038.
A separate measure has applied since July 2026: a new adaptive brake light is mandatory on all newly registered passenger cars. During emergency braking from above 50 km/h, the brake light flashes automatically.
According to VDA figures, this can shorten the braking reaction of following drivers by up to 0.2 seconds — equivalent to 5.5 metres less braking distance at 100 km/h. No retrofitting obligation applies to vehicles already on the road.
