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Michael Lewis said. "Unlike other systems that rely on shared bands to transmit risk messages, Modular's CAS communicates on a dedicated safety band. This key ele- ment of the Modular system eliminates interference and ensures message receipt." The newest-generation CAS enhance- ments now address more than 60 of the most common vehicle collision scenarios, including forward path (front-to-rear, head-on), take-off, speed limit violations, overtaking and intersections. Modular's multilayered approach to safety incorpo- rates both radar and GPS in the CAS. As a result, Modular is able to design systems that are ready to leverage new constella- tions that have recently come online or are scheduled for commission in the next few years, including BeiDou and Galileo. According to Lewis, each technology has benefits and limitations; however, the syn- ergy results in a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. "By incorporating mul- tiple, [complementary] technologies in our CAS, we are able to deliver an extremely consistent solution with high availability and reliability." Modular's CAS is also designed to predict potentially hazardous situations and notify operators of impending vehicle-to-vehicle collisions via real-time audible and visual alarms. "Unlike systems that focus solely on proximity, our CAS differentiates between actual and artificial safety threats, virtual- ly eliminating nuisance false alarms," he said. "This built-in intelligence helps avoid [alarm] desensitization, which can leave operators vulnerable in dangerous situations." As a fully functioning stand-alone appli- cation, the Modular CAS has no reliance or dependencies on external applications or central servers. Instead, a dedicated in- vehicle CPU stores sensor data, which can be downloaded for use in analysis, report- ing and training. When integrated with Modular's DISPATCH Fleet Management system (FMS), data is transmitted directly to the system's central server for immedi- ate and future use. The DISPATCH system integration also gives mines access to additional safety- focused technologies, including the Fast Feedback module; the speed management module; Active Tire Management; and the Prestart module, which ensures operator accountability for systematically verifying all necessary safety and equipment mainte- nance items. Preco, Strata Commit to Surface Safety Imagine: a surface coal operation, oper- ating 24/7, using a new shovel to load haul trucks from both sides. As one reversed into load position, the operator misjudged the clearance the shovel would need to swing to load the truck on the opposite side. When the shovel made its swing, the reversing haul truck made contact with the back end of the shovel, causing serious mechanical and electrical damage to the shovel. The result was nine days of downtime f o r t h e s h o v e l a n d s u p p o r t v e h i c l e s , including six haul trucks, a dozer and r o a d g r a d e r . L u c k i l y , n o b o d y w a s injured, but the costs of downtime and r e v e n u e l o s s t o t a l e d n e a r l y $ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 , almost half in equipment repair alone. Unfortunately, the scenario was a real event. However, the mine found a part- ner to step in with a solution, and that partner was Preco Electronics and its PreView Radar blind spot safety system. PreView, which uses radar sensors, has varying detection zones (from 10 ft to 32 ft) and proximity ranging through an in- cab audible and visual display. The prox- imity detection system uses patented pulsed radar, not just cameras, to detect items of all sizes surrounding a vehicle. PreView Radar is made up of three main components: the pulsed radar sensors; an in-cab display; and robust cables to con- nect the two. Additionally, PreView uti- lizes standard protocols and can easily integrate it to trigger other safety systems, such as backup alarms, lights, cameras and monitors. The sensors, typically Xtreme PreView or WorkSight Preview in surface mining, are mounted on the vehicle and angled to achieve the desired coverage. PreView is available at the OEM/initial build level or as an aftermarket addition to the machine. Moreover, the recommended system is based on the machine type and work site environment; in the case of the shovel c o l l i s i o n a v o i d a n c e c o n t i n u e d 42 www.coalage.com February 2015 Modular's CAS focuses on vehicle-to-vehicle collision prevention, and utilizes ranging sensors and GPS receivers to determine collision risk based on vehicle travel paths, speed, distance and other factors. Another OEM with its eye sternly focused on collision avoidance and worker safety is Komatsu. The equip- ment maker has been working as of late on a rollout of its KomVision technology, a fully integrated object detection system that combines both cameras and radar for a complete 360˚ view around haul trucks. A total of six cameras and eight radars work in tan- dem to create the complete picture and uses image "stitching" technology, which can be displayed on a monitor for an operator to provide a quite literal "bird's eye view" of the truck and its surroundings. Should an operator need to view something specific in its path, KomVision has the ability to override control logic to view specific cameras as desired or even view a split screen of more than one zone simultaneously. "KomVision improves operator awareness," Komatsu officials said of the system, which also includes an audible alarm. "Layers of awareness provide more comprehensive information than mirrors alone." The system logic also sets a priority hierarchy that specifies the most hazardous objects position depend- ing on a truck's operating mode. The OEM currently has a fleet of 730E-8's at a coal mining operation in Texas that are equipped with KomVision. At press time, details regarding the com- plete results of the project were not available. The OEM Perspective: Komatsu