Next Generation of Safety Arrives with Isuzu Trucks Light-Duty Update

Isuzu Trucks is proud to announce the release of the safest Isuzu truck ever developed for the Australian market. Heralding in the next level of truck safety, this product launch comes in the form of a significant update to the best-selling N Series light-duty range.

On sale from 1 November, 2021, the latest incarnation of Isuzu’s perennially popular 4x2 N Series trucks will offer operators not only the brand’s famous promise of reliability, but the next generation of truck safety with the introduction of Isuzu Intelligent Safety.

Combined with improved cabin appointments, unbeatable breadth-of-range and the class-leading engine and driveline componentry that customers have cherished for over 35 years, Isuzu’s new N Series range is designed to keep Isuzu truck drivers, as well as other road users, safe and secure on Australian roads.

Next generation safety

Complementing the existing safety suite found in all Isuzu N Series 4x2 trucks, the brand has introduced a new Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS).

Isuzu’s clever new ADAS has been carefully designed to observe changing traffic conditions and assist drivers in maintaining a safe distance from other road users, pedestrians, cyclists, and objects. This all working to help avoid collisions with a combination of warning alerts and automations that activate when an imminent crash or potentially dangerous change in driving environment is detected.

Isuzu’s ADAS features include…

Eagle eyes

The eyes behind Isuzu’s new ADAS is the highly effective Hitachi Stereo 3D Camera, proven to be incredibly accurate in object detection, as well as speed and depth perception (regardless of day or night operation).

Unlike other trucks in the market that offer a single camera attached to the windscreen (usually at the top) and a radar sensor mounted lower on the cabin face or bumper, Isuzu has mounted the dual-lens Hitachi camera inside the cabin in a central dashboard position that does not obstruct driver view and is not attached to the windscreen.

This gives the camera a superior field of vision to detect lower-height objects while in motion (small children for example)—a critical advantage for those working in established and built-up areas.

New industry benchmark

Coming as no stranger to the Australian truck market, emergency braking and lane departure warning systems have become an accepted and well-received addition to safety suites.

Isuzu’s Advanced Emergency Braking system with Forward Collision Warning (FCW) works by way of the dual optical sensor camera, which monitors the environment in front of the truck. It can detect and determine the distance of three-dimensional objects such as vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles and other objects that appear in front of the truck.

If the FCW system determines a collision is likely and depending on the circumstances and severity of the situation, the system will respond with either audible and visual alerts, or autonomous activation of the vehicle’s brakes.

Under normal operating conditions the system is designed to avoid a collision with a speed difference up to 50 km per hour and can reduce the risk of a collision impact for higher speed differentials, even at night.

Similar to systems found in many modern passenger cars, Isuzu’s Lane Departure Warning works via sensors that detect and monitor the vehicle’s trajectory in relation to lane markings on roads or the road edge itself, providing audible and visual alarms for the driver if the vehicle begins to wander out of the lane marking or over the road edge.

Safety in spades

Going several steps further down the road to improved safety, Isuzu introduces a unique feature, the Distance Warning System (DWS). This is designed to ensure the truck operator is travelling at a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.

Allowing drivers to pre-set a desired minimum distance (depending on application or environment), the DWS will alert drivers with a subtle visual warning on the dash when an unsafe distance is detected. The system has been intuitively programmed to only activate when speeds exceed 30 km per hour, which is particularly useful for highway driving and prevents spurious warnings in situations such as traffic jams.

Operators who do face those unavoidable traffic conditions, or who are operating in metro settings will also appreciate the Traffic Movement Warning (TMW) system, another feature unique to Isuzu’s N Series ADAS.

The TMW system monitors stationary vehicles ahead and will alert the driver with a clear but subtle warning sound when forward traffic movement is detected more than five metres from a truck’s stopped position.

Rounding-out the Isuzu Intelligent Safety suite in the new N Series 4x2 range is an Auto Lighting System (ALS).

The ALS functions automatically when selected by the driver, adjusting headlight and taillight brightness to meet changing outside lighting conditions, providing drivers with optimum lighting for safe driving and road use.

Urban safety boost

Isuzu Australia Limited National Sales Manager, Les Spaltman noted new N Series trucks were built to support operators across a gamut of applications, but that urban operators would find particular benefit in Isuzu’s ADAS.

“Isuzu’s data shows that most businesses needing a light-duty truck operate in urban settings, including freight movement in cities and residential areas, business-to-customer service or delivery, and operators needing their trucks on site within metro areas.

“It’s also in these dense, high-traffic situations that the most unfortunate collisions occur, with our data also showing pedestrian and cyclist accidents with trucks accounting for the largest percentage of serious injury and death.

“Linked to the dual-camera placed for optimal visibility of low-height objects, our ADAS is designed to be an extra set of eyes on the road, helping the driver monitor everything from other road users, pedestrians and cyclists, through to changing traffic conditions," Mr Spaltman said.

Forward thinking

Complementary to these sweeping safety enhancements comes a host of additional updates to the new N Series, making for a truly comprehensive renewal of Isuzu’s most popular range.

Additional updates include an interior revamp in seat cover material and cabin appointments, and a new exterior lamp assembly with prominent foglamps giving the new range a distinctly different forward appearance.

Behind the dashboard also comes a new CAN converter circuit and connector, making it a simple exercise to fit a fleet management or telematics system.

All new N Series trucks receive at least 500 kg increases in towing capacity—up to 4,500 kg rating for models with 4HK1 engines (NPR, NQR and NPS models), and 4,000 kg rating for all other models in the range. Matching this increase, Isuzu dealerships will offer genuine towbars and a selection of 50 mm or 70 mm tow-balls rated to the truck’s capacity as an optional accessory, available at extra cost.

Other additions (model dependent) include a customisable speed limiter (set at the dealership), new cab-tilt warning device, and long-awaited suspension seats in selected narrow-cab models. Customers can also expect to see new product hitting Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range, with Tipper and Tradepack line-ups expanded, plus additional models slated for 2022 release.

“We are incredibly pleased to offer our customers the next generation of safety in light-duty trucking with our updated N Series range,” commented Mr Spaltman.

“With confidence, we can say these are the safest, most advanced, diesel-powered light-duty Japanese trucks in the Australian market.

“In terms of work-smart features to keep drivers safe and comfortable, and capacity to get the job done, we believe operators will see a huge difference between owning a new Isuzu N Series truck compared with any other similar truck out there,” he said.