A submersible water-proof reversing camera contributes to the Hino 300 Series 4x4’s class-leading safety
The Hino 300 Series 4x4 is the safest light duty truck in its class.
Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), driver and passenger SRS airbags, 4-wheel-disc-brakes, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and the Anti Slip Regulation (ASR) systems, and submersible water-proof reversing camera all contribute to its class-leading safety claim.
Cruise control, tilt-adjustable steering column, rear air conditioning in Crew Cab models and suspended driver’s seat take operator comfort to another level.
“Today’s transport industry has a compliance and moral obligation to ensure its truck operators are as safe as possible while doing their jobs,” Mr Daniel Petrovski, Hino Australia Product Strategy Manager said.
“That means safety systems such as VSC must be of the highest possible priority, which is why we are so proud of this new best-in-class Hino 300 4x4.
“But operator comfort also plays a big part in this safety story too, which is why Hino has prioritised a number of these aspects in the development of this new model as well.
“All these elements contribute to reducing fatigue and enhancing overall safety and comfort.”
The safety story begins with the ECE-R29 compliant Hino cab which was designed with the highest safety standards in mind and features door side intrusion beams, strengthened slimline A-pillars and reinforced high strength front panels.
“We have put considerable effort into the cab design to ensure maximum safety while ensuring it accommodates a diverse range of occupants in both Single and Crew Cab configurations,” said Mr Petrovski.
The slimline 65mm A-pillars enhance front and side visibility without compromising structural integrity, a design feature considered with today’s increasing cyclist and pedestrian traffic in mind.
“In designing the 300 Series doors, our engineers created the largest opening space possible without compromising strength and took into account a large footwell area and head height considerations,” continued Mr Petrovski.
This is further enhanced by the large reinforced footsteps mounted in a staircase design for both Single and Crew Cab variants.
The steps are complemented by a comfortable grab handle system enabling occupants to maintain three points of contact at all times when entering or exiting both cab types.
Inside, there is a magnetically dampened suspended driver’s seat which adjusts on inclined seat runners, which assists the operator to be ideally located in relation to the pedals.
Lumbar adjustability further enhances comfort in sometimes rough 4x4 terrain.
A tilt and telescopic steering wheel is standard, as are driver and passenger SRS airbags, cruise control and an ergonomically-designed cab interior layout, modified with easy-to-use controls for the 4x4 system.
High or low range is driver-selectable via a dashboard mounted button, which triggers an indicator light in the comprehensive instrumentation package when 4x4 or low range are selected.
Like all vehicles today, air conditioning is a given, however the Hino Crew Cab model also features a separate rear air conditioning and heating system, which is an important appointment in the often extreme Australian environment it will be operating in.
The Hino 300 Series 4x4 is the first Japanese made 4x4 light duty truck with Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) as standard – and the only 7,500kg Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) 4x4 truck to feature this potentially life-saving equipment.
Working in conjunction with the standard 4 wheel-disc braking system which incorporates Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), EBD and ASR systems, VSC helps prevent the truck potentially skidding out of control by monitoring wheel rotation speed, steering angle, yaw rate, lateral G forces and braking.
Thus, VSC is able to enhance vehicle stability on slippery surfaces or in emergency situations by autonomously reducing engine power and/or applying the brakes to individual wheels. Ultimately, this helps the driver keep control and assists to prevent the truck from sliding in a direction contrary to where the driver is steering.
Not offered by its Japanese 4x4 competitors, the 4-wheel-disc brakes are not only a safety advantage but also offer operational advantages.
Disc brakes can be more efficient in clearing water, mud and dust contamination resulting in less frequent servicing and limiting downtime which is a large benefit for customers in more remote regions.
Adding further to the best safety package in its class, an IPA69K submersible water-proof reversing camera is standard and includes night vision and a microphone, to assist the driver when manoeuvring the vehicle.
Vision from the camera is displayed on the large multimedia screen on the dashboard.
“An additional two cameras may be added as an option and can be viewed at any time while driving,” concluded Mr Petrovski.
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For further information, please contact:
Clare Arthurs
Account Director - Media & Communication Services
clare@mediacomservices.com.au
Ph: (03) 9226 6666
Mobile: 0435 898 644