ELKHART, Ind. – Spartan is making its new chassis safer – and smarter.
During Elkhart Open House Week, Spartan promoted to RV dealers and manufacturers its new Spartan Advanced Protection System (APS) – a package of collision mitigation and coach stability features designed to make operating a Class A diesel motorhome safer. The APS package is available on select 2017 RVs, including the Entegra Cornerstone and as an option for the Newmar King Aire, London Aire, Mountain Aire, and Essex coach models.
Steve Guillaume, president of Spartan Specialty Vehicles, called APS a “game changer” in chassis safety technology that was two years in the making.
“We are pushing the envelope in terms of what’s possible,” Guillaume told RV PRO at the Entegra exhibit, where Spartan was showcasing its new K3 600 chassis equipped with APS, during Open House Week. Guillaume added, “We’re committed to bringing the same technology that keeps us safe in passenger cars to the RV market – not just for coach owners, but for their passengers and other motorists that share the road.”
Notable APS capabilities include:
- Collision mitigation: A radar-based forward collision warning system with dual-beam technology detects objects in the motorhome’s path up to 650 feet away. If the system determines the object(s) is stopped or slowing, APS offers audible and visual first alerts to drivers of potentially dangerous situations that could lead to a collision. If the driver takes no action, APS automatically de-throttles the engine and applies the brakes at 50 percent braking power. APS is an always-on monitoring system that provides warnings even when cruise control is not set.
- Adaptive cruise control: The system is designed to assist the driver in maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of them by decelerating automatically.
- Electronic stability control (ESC): The APS feature automatically brakes individual coach wheels to help drivers maintain control during extreme steering maneuvers, such as they might experience during bad weather.
- Safe Haul: Spartan has developed a pneumatic tow vehicle braking system that is integrated with its chassis system. It is specifically designed so that tow vehicles receive adequate and safe air pressure to supply optimal braking performance. Given that most Class A motorhome owners tow a vehicle, Guillaume said the company felt it was important to offer an OE solution.
“These features provide additional security and highlight the Spartan advantage,” Guillaume said, a reference to the company’s core values of providing the best ride and handling possible, safety, reliability, access to service and support and extended family to its customers.
In recognition of the fact that Spartan is a U.S.-owned company and has engineered and built chassis on a dedicated assembly line in Michigan, Spartan’s demo chassis on display at Open House Week was painted red, white, and blue and bore the stars and stripes of the American flag.