The Total Cost of Installing a Truck Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) That Includes Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping, and Onboard Safety Monitoring Was Estimated at $8,102.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have the potential of improving traffic safety, including truck safety. However, barriers such as awareness, acceptance, and uncertain Return On Investment (ROI), are known to be limiting the adoption of this technology. This study summarized the findings from Phase 1 of the “Tech-Celerate Now” program, launched by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in September 2019, to accelerate adoption of ADAS technologies amongst trucking industry associations and consultants. This study documented the research and data analysis as well as awareness activities, program perception and impacts, through a pre- and post-outreach activity survey of motor carrier executives and truck drivers. The Tech-Celerate Now program documented in this study, categorized ADAS technologies into four functional groups:

• ADAS braking systems, including technologies such as automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control systems
• ADAS steering systems, including lane keep assist, lane centering, and adaptive steering control
• ADAS warning systems, including lane departure warning (LDW), forward collision warning (FCW), and blind spot warning (BSW)
• ADAS monitoring systems, including driver- and road-facing cameras and camera-based mirror systems.

Cost data for selected ADAS technologies in this study when installed on a new tractor were as shown in Table 1 below, obtained from the American Trucking Association estimates, including fleet self-reporting off-the-shelf retail estimates based on experience and dealer input.

Table 1. Cost Estimates

Note that $1,207 given in Table 1 was the estimated additional costs related to the internal employee cost of one and a half hours of training per truck driver, to provide coaching and development over the life of the equipment.

It should also be noted that the hardware cost shown in Table 1 included the actual hardware cost and the labor cost to install by the original equipment manufacturer. The study indicated that if the same technology was installed aftermarket, the costs would include the actual hardware costs, and the labor cost for installation (which would be higher than the manufacturer’s labor costs). In addition, because the technology was installed aftermarket, it would not be subject to the 12 percent Federal excise tax.