Operator’s Manual
Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™
Active Safety System

Bendix safety technologies complement safe driving practices.
No commercial vehicle safety technology replaces a skilled,
alert driver exercising safe driving techniques and proactive,
comprehensive driver training. Responsibility for the safe
operation of the vehicle remains with the driver at all times.

DO NOT
REMOVE FROM
VEHICLE

This booklet contains important
operational and safety information that
benefits you and subsequent drivers.

The Bendix ESP Stability System
®

®

All vehicles equipped with the Bendix ® Wingman ® Fusion™
system are also equipped with the Bendix® ESP® stability system.
The Bendix ESP stability system is an always ready, full‑stability
system which monitors vehicle performance. When necessary,
Bendix ESP automatically intervenes to reduce the throttle and/
or apply the foundation brakes to help you maintain stability
during potential loss-of-control or rollover events.
The Wingman Fusion system uses the ESP system to help
maintain vehicle stability during automatic brake applications
on slick surfaces.
The Bendix ESP stability system and the Wingman Fusion
system do not replace the need for you to remain alert, react
appropriately and in a timely manner, and use safe driving
practices.

2

Table of Contents
Important Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Equipment Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Bendix Wingman Fusion System Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-15
The Bendix Wingman Fusion System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
The Active Cruise with Braking (ACB) Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15
What to Expect When Using the
Bendix Wingman Fusion System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-20
Potentially Challenging Situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-22
How Your Actions Impact the
Bendix Wingman Fusion System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Alerts and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-29
Impact Alert (IA)/Collision Mitigation Braking (CMB) . . . . . . . . . 25
Following Distance Alert (FDA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Stationary Object Alert (SOA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Stationary Vehicle Braking (SVB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Overspeed Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Special Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Brake Overuse Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Potential False Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
When Not to Use Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Additional Operational Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31-35
Adjusting the Alert Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Temporarily Disable the Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . 31
Event Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Stability System Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35
Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37
Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
®

®

™

Improper use of the Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ system
can result in a collision causing property damage, serious
injuries, or death. Be sure to read, understand, and follow
all these instructions carefully.

3

Important Safety Information About
The Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ Active Safety
System (Fusion)
SECTION 1: GENERAL
You are always responsible for the control and safe operation of the
vehicle at all times. The Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ system does
not replace the need for a skilled, alert professional driver, reacting
appropriately and in a timely manner, and using safe driving practices.
Due to the inherent limitations of image recognition technology,
camera-based safety technology – on rare occasions – may not be
able to detect or may misinterpret lane markings. At these times,
alerts may not occur, or erroneous alerts may occur.
Use cruise control only in the conditions that are normally
recommended for its use. Setting the cruise control will also set the
Active Cruise with Braking (ACB) feature of the Bendix Wingman Fusion
system. It must never be used on roads where you can not drive safely
at a steady speed, including city streets, winding roads and sharp curves,
downhill grades, poor road conditions (such as gravel or dirt), ice or wet
surfaces (wet surfaces may increase the risk of hydroplaning), or in fog,
heavy rain, or snowy conditions.
Also, the cruise control should not be used in inclement weather,
in dense traffic, or where smaller vehicles–such as motorcycles–are
ahead in the same lane.
Always switch off the cruise control (by stepping on the brakes or turning
off the cruise control switch) when entering turning lanes, entering or
exiting highways, driving through construction zones, or similar situations.
See page 30 for more details.
Variations from this Manual – Vehicle manufacturers, and some
previous models of the Fusion system, may use alerts, messages,
and dash arrangements that vary from the examples shown here.
Consult the vehicle operator’s manual(s) for applicable details
regarding use and operation. The contents of this manual are subject
to change and revision – visit bendix.com for the latest version of this
document – BW2681.

4

The Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ system reacts ONLY to vehicles that are
stationary or moving in the same direction as your vehicle. The Wingman
Fusion system DOES NOT respond to side-to-side moving traffic, or
oncoming traffic. The system will not slow your vehicle or provide an
alert as you approach vehicles in these circumstances.
Vehicle Equipped with Bendix®
Wingman® Fusion™ System

Detected Forward
Vehicle

The System Does Not Brake nor
Warn for Vehicles Approaching
from the Side or Oncoming

When the Wingman Fusion system needs to intervene, it works in
conjunction with the Bendix® ESP® stability system to engage the brakes.
The system should never be relied upon to stop your vehicle or to
avoid a collision. You can, and should, still apply full braking force, if
needed.
SECTION 2: DRIVER ALERTS & WARNINGS
IMPORTANT: It is the responsibility of the driver to remain vigilant and change
driving practices depending on traffic and road conditions.
Driver Alerts and Warnings – Before driving with Wingman Fusion, you
should fully understand all the audible alerts and visual indicators that
the system provides. This booklet will assist in explaining what each of
them means.
The Impact Alert (IA) / Collision Mitigation Braking (CMB)
The Impact Alert is the most severe alert issued by the Wingman
Fusion system. This alert indicates that a collision with the detected
forward vehicle is likely. You must immediately act to potentially
avoid, or lessen the severity of, a collision.
Collision Mitigation Braking applies vehicle braking to help avoid
or lessen the severity of a collision, and the system will also provide
visual and audible alerts when it is braking.
The IA and CMB are ready to alert you – and intervene – whenever the
vehicle is moving above 15 mph / 24 kph.
When activated, the IA will sound and a visual message/icon typically
appears on the dash screen or Bendix® Driver Interface Unit (DIU) display.
The actual sound/display method varies by vehicle manufacturer.
5

The Following Distance Alert (FDA) provides both audible and visual
alerts whenever the time between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead
is at least one and a half (1.5) seconds* and getting closer. Once the
audible alert is given, you should increase the distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle ahead until the audible alert stops. The FDA is
ready to alert you whenever the vehicle is moving above 5 mph / 8 kph.
If the following distance continues to decrease, you will hear more
rapid audible alerts. When the FDA reaches its highest level, a visual
indication/alert will activate.
* 1.5 seconds is the system default and may vary by fleet/OEM.
Stationary Object Alert (SOA) – The Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™
system will give up to a three (3) second alert when approaching a
detected, sizable, stationary object with metallic (radar-reflective)
surfaces in your lane of travel. This alert indicates that a collision with
a stationary object is likely. As the driver, you must immediately act
to potentially avoid, or lessen the severity of, a collision. The SOA is
ready to alert you whenever the vehicle is moving above 10 mph / 16 kph.
Due to the inherent limitations of radar technology, the Stationary
Object Alert System may alert in response to stationary objects not in
the vehicle lane of travel. These objects may include bridges, signs,
parked vehicles, and traffic lights. Braking or throttle intervention
will not occur in response to stationary objects. As the driver, you
remain responsible for safely controlling the vehicle at all times by
appropriately applying the brakes, steering, or throttle as needed.
You should be especially careful when approaching certain types of
vehicles and objects. The Wingman Fusion radar may not be able to
detect objects with limited metal surfaces (such as recreational vehicles,
horse-drawn buggies, motorcycles, logging trailers, etc.). NOTE: Entering
a curve may reduce the alert time to less than three (3) seconds.

6

Stationary Vehicle Braking (SVB) – As part of the collision mitigation
system, when a large, stationary, metallic object in a vehicle’s lane of
travel is definitively identified as a vehicle, the driver is notified up
to three and a half (3.5) seconds before impact. If the driver does
not take action to address the potential impact that caused the alert,
the Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ system can automatically engage the
brakes to assist the driver in reducing the severity of or potentially
avoiding a collision with that stationary vehicle.
If the system cannot definitively identify the stationary object as
a vehicle — for example, if the vehicle is not a licensed motorized
vehicle, or certain types of trailers — the driver will get up to three (3)
seconds of alert to address the situation ahead; no automatic braking
will be applied.
Stationary Vehicle Braking is most useful when approaching a line of
stopped traffic or a stalled vehicle that is not immediately recognized
by the driver. Without the automatic alert and braking, it may be
too late to avoid impact. The SVB is ready to alert you whenever the
vehicle is moving above 15 mph / 24 kph.
Pedestrians, Animals, Non-metallic, or Limited-metallic Objects –
The Wingman Fusion system will not warn or react to pedestrians,
animals, and non-metallic objects. The system may not warn or react
to limited-metallic objects (such as recreational vehicles, horse-drawn
buggies, motorcycles, logging trailers, etc.).
Metallic Objects May Impair the Radar – Objects that are radarreflective – such as crash barriers, guard rails, construction zone
barricades, and tunnel entrances – may impair the function of the
radar.
Brake Overuse Alert – The Bendix Wingman Fusion system provides
a warning when the system is intervening and using the foundation
brakes excessively. Overuse of the foundation brakes can lead to
the brakes overheating and a potential loss of braking performance
caused by brake fade. Using cruise control on downhill runs will cause
this alert to be activated.

7

Approach grades as you would normally, with the appropriate gear
selected and at a safe speed.
Cruise control should NOT be used on downhill grades.
You should use appropriate gearing and brake techniques on downhill
grades.
When the system detects brake overuse – depending on the vehicle
manufacturer – a text message will be displayed on the dashboard and
an audible alert will be activated. You should intervene immediately.
•

Once the brake overuse alert is activated, certain driver interventions that
cancel cruise control – such as stepping on the brake pedal or switching
off cruise – will discontinue the alert. Following an overuse alert, you
should not reset cruise control for at least 20 minutes. This gives the
brakes time to cool down.
If you choose to reset cruise control during that 20 minute period, Bendix®
Wingman® Fusion™ system interventions will be limited to de-throttling
and engine retarder only. The system will automatically disable all
Wingman Fusion system foundation brake applications for at least 20
minutes.

•

If the system does not detect a driver intervention within 15 seconds after
the brake overuse alert sounds, it will shut itself off and set a Diagnostic
Trouble Code (DTC). You will continue to receive alerts, but ALL Wingman
Fusion interventions (de-throttling, engine retarder or brake applications)
will be disabled until the next ignition cycle.

NOTE: In all cases, you still have the ability to apply the foundation brakes
if necessary. You should take care since overheated brakes may reduce
the vehicle’s braking capability.

8

Lane Departure Warnings (LDW) – The Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™
system has the ability to warn you if the vehicle is not tracking in the
intended roadway path. In most vehicle applications the LDW system
is enabled above 37 mph / 60 kph. The Lane Departure Warnings will be
issued through the dedicated speakers and, in some cases, may mute the
radio. You should immediately correct the vehicle tracking and maintain
the correct position in the lane.
In some driving scenarios – such as constructions zones, overlapping or
changing lanes – lines may cause LDW alerts. For these cases the LDW
system can be temporarily disabled through a LDW Enable / Disable
switch on the dash.
Speed Limit Sign Recognition – Above 25 mph / 40 kph, the Bendix
Wingman Fusion system has the ability to warn you if the vehicle’s speed
exceeds the posted legal limits. The Overspeed Alert warns when the
vehicle is traveling greater than 5 mph / 8 kph from the posted limit. You
should immediately reduce speed to the posted legal limit. If you are
exceeding 10 mph / 16 kph from the posted limit, the Overspeed Alert
will be accompanied by a short throttle reduction.
International travel: When changing between regions which post
speeds in miles and those which post in kilometers, the speed limit sign
recognition feature will not function until the correct US/Metric selection
has been made within the Bendix Driver Display or the camera recognizes
enough consecutive road signs and learns it is operating in a new region.

9

SECTION 3: EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
Importance of Antilock Braking System (ABS) Maintenance – Optimal
Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ system braking requires a properly maintained
ABS system, without any active ABS Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs).
Have active DTCs repaired by a qualified technician. Any ABS DTCs will
cause Wingman Fusion to deactivate.
Importance of Brake Maintenance – Optimal Wingman Fusion braking
requires properly maintained truck foundation brakes (drum, wide-drum,
or air disc) which meet appropriate safety standards and regulations.
Brake performance also requires that the vehicle be equipped with
properly sized and inflated tires, with a safe tread depth.
System Problems – If a problem with the Wingman Fusion system is
detected – depending on the vehicle manufacturer – typically there will
be a message on the dashboard display. Depending on the type of
problem detected, the system will determine if the vehicle may continue
normal cruise control functions (without the benefits of Wingman Fusion),
or whether all cruise control functions should be disabled until service is
performed. The system should be serviced as soon as possible to restore
full Wingman Fusion functionality.
Radar Inspection – You should visually inspect the radar and mounting
bracket regularly and remove any mud, snow, ice build-up, or other
obstructions. The installation of aftermarket deer guards, bumper guards,
snow plows, or similar potential obstructions is not recommended, and
could impair the operation of the radar. See Bendix Technical Bulletin
TCH-061-003.
Radar Damage / Misalignment / Tampering – In cases where the bumper
and/or radar have sustained any damage, are misaligned – or if you
suspect that the radar has been tampered with – do not use the cruise
control until the vehicle has been repaired and the radar re-aligned. In
addition, an indicator on the dash typically will illuminate if the system
detects any of these conditions. Consult your vehicle Operator’s Manual
or contact Bendix for more information.
Camera Inspection – The Bendix Wingman Fusion camera is mounted
to the windshield of the vehicle. The camera will be mounted inside the
wiper pattern and should be clear of any obstructions.

10

System Overview
Integrating camera, radar, and brakes, the Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ Active
Safety System provides the following alerts and actions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Stationary Vehicle Braking (SVB);
Enhanced Collision Mitigation Braking (CMB);
Active Cruise with Braking (ACB);
Overspeed Alert and Action (OAA);
Lane Departure Warnings (LDW);
Stationary Object Alerts (SOA); and
Alert prioritization.
See the diagram below
Detected Forward
Vehicle

NOT TO SCALE
The STRIPED area approximates
the zone where the Active Cruise
with Braking feature is ready to
alert – and intervene with the
vehicle’s brakes – when the cruise
control is set.

The DARK GREY area approximates
the zone where the Wingman
Fusion system is ready to alert – and
intervene with the vehicle’s
brakes – as long as the vehicle is
traveling above 15 mph / 24 kph.

What Features are Included in the
Bendix Wingman Fusion System?
Part One: Active Cruise with Braking
Think of the Active Cruise with Braking (ACB) feature as an additional upgrade
to ordinary cruise control. When using cruise control, your vehicle not only
will maintain the set speed, but the system will also intervene – as needed – to
help maintain a set following distance behind the vehicle in front of you.
Using a radar (with a range of approximately 500 feet) mounted to the front
of your vehicle, the System reacts ONLY to vehicles moving in the same
direction as you. (The system DOES NOT respond to side-to-side moving
traffic or oncoming traffic.)
See the STRIPED area in the diagram above. The Active Cruise with Braking
feature is designed to help maintain a set following distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle ahead when cruise control is set.
11

Once cruise control is set and the system is maintaining a set following distance
between you and the forward vehicle:
• If the vehicle in front of you slows down below your cruise control’s
set speed, the system will intervene, as necessary, in this order:
(a) reduce the engine throttle; then
(b) apply the engine retarder; then
(c) apply the foundation brakes,
in an attempt to maintain the set following distance behind
the vehicle ahead. NOTE: If during the intervention, it is
necessary to apply the foundation brakes, the vehicle will
not automatically resume the cruise control set speed.
•

If the vehicle ahead slows, below your cruise control’s set speed, but
then accelerates away and the Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ system did
not need to use the foundation brakes, the system will automatically
accelerate back to the original cruise control set speed, and again maintain
a set following distance behind any vehicles ahead of you.

Because the Wingman Fusion system operates along with normal cruise
control, all the typical features built into cruise control work as usual. For
example, limits imposed by factory-set road speed governors, etc. are fully
supported by the Wingman Fusion system.

Part Two: Alerts
The Bendix Wingman Fusion system also assists by giving audible and
visual alerts, whether or not cruise control is on. See Pages 24-29 for more
information on the six (6) types of alerts you may hear and/or see displayed.

Part Three: Collision Mitigation Technology
See the DARK GREY area in the diagram on page 11. Wingman Fusion’s
Stationary Vehicle Braking (SVB) is designed to be ready to react to the
presence of stationary vehicles in front of your vehicle (whether or not cruise
control is set, as long as the vehicle is traveling above 15 mph / 24 kph.)
The system provides you with an alert before an intervention occurs.
You must immediately act to potentially avoid, or lessen the severity
of, a collision.

12

System Components
The main components used in the Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ system are the
Bendix® ESP® EC-80™ Controller; the Bendix® Wingman® FLR-20™ radar; the
Bendix™ AutoVue® FLC-20™ Camera (powered by the Mobileye® System-onChip EyeQ® processor with state-of-the-art-vision algorithms); the Bendix®
Driver Interface Unit (DIU™), or OEM dash display; the SafetyDirect® by Bendix
CVS Processor; and the vehicle’s telematics system.
Bendix® Driver
Interface Unit (DIU™)

Bendix® FLR-20™
Radar Sensor

SafetyDirect
By Bendix CVS
Processor
®

Bendix® ESP®
EC-80™ Controller

Bendix™
AutoVue®
FLC-20™
Camera

The Bendix Wingman Fusion radar locates and tracks moving vehicles. The
radar is located at the front of your vehicle – either on the bumper or just
behind it on a cross-member. When located behind the bumper, in some
cases the unit may also be behind a protective covering that allows the radar
signal to pass through. The camera is located on the windshield inside the
wiper pattern.
The Bendix Wingman Fusion radar is pre-aligned at the factory and no
adjustment should be needed. If the radar becomes misaligned – or any other
system problem is detected – a message (or light) on the dash lets you know
that service is needed.

The Wingman Fusion camera works with the radar to better identify
forward vehicles (moving and stationary).

System Display
Driver information about the Wingman Fusion system is either fully integrated
into the vehicle dashboard, or uses the Bendix Driver Interface Unit (DIU™).
Although the system functions the same, how the alerts are displayed to
you can be different. See the Alerts and Warnings section of this manual on
pages 24-29 for more detailed information about the alerts.
NOTE: For some integrated systems, the volume level of the alerts may not
be adjustable, nor can they be switched off.

13

The Active Cruise with Braking (ACB) Feature
NOTE: Whenever the cruise control is set, the Active Cruise with Braking
feature is also set. You can not engage cruise control without also using all
the features of the Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ system.

Setting Cruise Control
Activating the Active Cruise with Braking feature is as easy as using ordinary
cruise control.

Examples of cruise control switches

First, switch on the cruise control. Accelerate your vehicle to the cruise control
speed you wish to maintain, then press the cruise control set switch. The
Active Cruise with Braking feature is now ready and will help you maintain a
set following distance.
Once the cruise control speed is set, a green
cruise-enabled icon (or similar) will illuminate
on the instrument panel. If the cruise-enabled
(or similar) icon does not illuminate, the cruise
control is not functioning normally. Please refer
to your vehicle Operator’s Manual to doublecheck the location of the icon and for further
troubleshooting information.
Some vehicle manufacturers use the instrument
cluster to momentarily show the cruise control
set speed to the driver.

Example of Driver
Interface Unit (DIU)
detected forward
Vehicle display

Where the Bendix® Driver Interface Unit (DIU™) display is used, a text message
will provide the set speed information.
You can switch the Active Cruise with Braking feature off manually by either
stepping on the brake, or switching OFF the cruise control.

14

NOTE: Cruise control will automatically cancel whenever the Bendix®
Wingman® Fusion™ system applies the foundation brakes. You can verify
the system is disengaged by observing that the cruise-enabled icon is no
longer illuminated. You must resume, or set, cruise control in order to regain
normal cruise control functionality and to re-engage the Active Cruise with
Braking feature of the Fusion system.

The Forward Detected Vehicle Icon
When cruise control is switched on and set, and a vehicle ahead of you is
detected by the radar, the forward detected vehicle icon (or similar) on the
vehicle dashboard will illuminate.
This is an indication to you that the Wingman Fusion system is
actively managing the distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle ahead, and that the system may automatically intervene.

Adjusting the Cruise Control Speed
Use the switch(es) provided by the vehicle manufacturer to set your cruise
control speed. When adjusted, your set speed will typically be indicated on
the vehicle dash, message center, speedometer, etc.

What is Following Distance?
Following distance refers to the time gap – measured in seconds – between
the vehicle with Wingman Fusion and the vehicle ahead. The actual physical
distance between the two will vary based on the speeds of both vehicles;
however, the set gap will remain the same for all set cruise speeds.

Fusion Collision Mitigation Feature Operation
Whenever the vehicle is traveling above 15 mph / 24 kph, the Wingman Fusion
collision mitigation feature is ready to intervene, if needed. It does not require
cruise control to be set. The collision mitigation feature of Wingman Fusion
will automatically alert you and apply the vehicle’s brakes, if a collision with the
detected forward vehicle is likely to occur. You, the driver, must immediately
act to potentially avoid, or lessen the severity of, a collision.

Automatic Foundation Brake Applications
The vehicle automatically manages foundation braking priorities among the
various vehicle systems that use the foundation brakes, such as Wingman
Fusion, Bendix® ESP® (Electronic Stability Program), Bendix® ATC (Automatic
Traction Control), and the Bendix® ABS (Antilock Braking System).

15

What to Expect When Using the
Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ System
The following charts illustrate what to expect from the Bendix® Wingman®
Fusion™ system in various driving situations you may encounter. Both the
system indication and action to expect from the system are illustrated on
the following pages.
Part One: All driving scenarios (Cruise is either “ON” or “OFF”)
What to Expect
Situation

Typical System
Indication/Alerts

Typical System
Actions/Cautions

Stationary objects/vehicles ahead in your lane of travel
A stationary – nonvehicle – object is
detected ahead in
your lane.

A Stationary Object Alert None.
(SOA) may be issued up
to three (3) seconds prior
to impact.
You must immediately act to
potentially avoid, or lessen
the severity of, a collision.

A stationary motor
vehicle is detected
ahead in your lane.

If the vehicle is traveling
above 10 mph / 16 kph, a
Stationary Vehicle Alert
(SVA) may be issued up
to three-and-a-half (3.5)
seconds prior to impact.

Note: Significant
feature