SD-25-50062
Steering Assist System
Vehicle Equipped with the
Steering Assist System

Trackable Lane Lines

Compatible WindshieldMounted Camera

NOT TO SCALE

Figure 1 – The Steering Assist System Uses a Windshield-mounted Camera
Steering Angle
Sensor

Bendix™ AutoVue®
FLC-20™ Camera

Magnetic Torque Overlay
(MTO) Steering Gear

Steering Assist
Electronic Control
Unit (ECU)

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.

DESCRIPTION
The Steering Assist System is a driver assistance system
that integrates with several Bendix systems including
Bendix® Fusion™ Active Safety System, the vehicle itself,
and select, compatible third-party components.
The Steering Assist System combines unique steering
technology with a forward-facing camera for active lane
identification. Steering Assist is built on the R.H. Sheppard
Co. Inc. HD94™ steering gear, which offers a quick steering
ratio for less hand wheel turns, ideal for large wheelbase
vehicles.

Figure 2 – System Components
Additional Reference Information on b2bendix.com

• For installation of the camera, refer to
SD-64-20124, Bendix™ AutoVue® FLC-20™.

• For vehicle operation, refer to BW8123, Steering
Assist System Operator's Manual.
• Refer to rhsheppard.com for product and
diagnostic support.

1

GENERAL SAFETY GUIDELINES

WARNING! PLEASE READ AND
FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS
TO AVOID PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH:

When working on or around a vehicle, the following
guidelines should be observed AT ALL TIMES:
▲Park the vehicle on a level surface, apply the parking
brakes and always block the wheels. Always wear personal
protection equipment.
▲Stop the engine and remove the ignition key when working
under or around the vehicle. When working in the engine
compartment, the engine should be shut off and the ignition
key should be removed. Where circumstances require that
the engine be in operation, EXTREME CAUTION should be
used to prevent personal injury resulting from contact with
moving, rotating, leaking, heated or electrically-charged
components.
▲Do not attempt to install, remove, disassemble or
assemble a component until you have read, and thoroughly
understand, the recommended procedures. Use only the
proper tools and observe all precautions pertaining to use
of those tools.
▲If the work is being performed on the vehicle’s air brake
system, or any auxiliary pressurized air systems, make
certain to drain the air pressure from all reservoirs before
beginning ANY work on the vehicle. If the vehicle is
equipped with a Bendix® AD-IS® air dryer system, a Bendix®
DRM™ dryer reservoir module, a Bendix ® AD-9si ®, AD-HF®,
or AD-HFi™ air dryer, be sure to drain the purge reservoir.
▲Following the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended
procedures, deactivate the electrical system in a manner
that safely removes all electrical power from the vehicle.
▲Never exceed manufacturer’s recommended pressures.
▲Never connect or disconnect a hose or line containing
pressure; it may whip and/or cause hazardous airborne
dust and dirt particles. Wear eye protection. Slowly open
connections with care, and verify that no pressure is
present. Never remove a component or plug unless you are
certain all system pressure has been depleted.
▲Use only genuine Bendix ® brand replacement parts,
components and kits. Replacement hardware, tubing, hose,
fittings, wiring, etc. must be of equivalent size, type and
strength as original equipment and be designed specifically
for such applications and systems.
▲Components with stripped threads or damaged parts should
be replaced rather than repaired. Do not attempt repairs
requiring machining or welding unless specifically stated
and approved by the vehicle and component manufacturer.
▲Prior to returning the vehicle to service, make certain all
components and systems are restored to their proper
operating condition.
▲For vehicles with Automatic Traction Control (ATC), the ATC
function must be disabled (ATC indicator lamp should be
ON) prior to performing any vehicle maintenance where
one or more wheels on a drive axle are lifted off the ground
and moving.
▲The power MUST be temporarily disconnected from the
radar sensor whenever any tests USING A DYNAMOMETER
are conducted on a vehicle equipped with a Bendix ®
Wingman ® system.
▲You should consult the vehicle manufacturer's operating
and service manuals, and any related literature, in
conjunction with the Guidelines above.

2

Improper use of the Steering Assist System can result
in a collision resulting in property damage, serious
injuries, or death. Be sure to read, understand, and
carefully follow the instructions in this document.

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. Examples may include
— but are not limited to — lane marking width, lane
marking color(s), lane marking location from center,
and road conditions where lane markings are applied.
At these times, alerts may not occur, or erroneous
alerts may occur.

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.

This product may expose you to chemicals
including nickel, which is known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. For more information, go to
P65Warnings.ca.gov.

IMPORTANT
It is the responsibility of the driver to always keep their
hands on the steering wheel and to remain vigilant
and change driving practices depending on traffic and
road conditions.

Bendix ® -brand Electronic Control Units (ECUs)
are not designed to store data for purposes of
accident reconstruction, and Bendix® ACom® PRO™
Diagnostic Software is not intended to retrieve data
for purposes of accident reconstruction. Bendix makes
no representations as to the accuracy of data or video
retrieved and interpreted from ECUs for purposes
of accident reconstruction. Bendix does not offer
accident reconstruction services or interpretation of
stored data. Bendix ECUs are not protected from fire,
loss of power, impact damage, or other conditions that
may be sustained in a crash situation and may cause
data to be unavailable or irretrievable.

SYSTEM FEATURES
LANE KEEP ASSIST (LKA)

STEERING ASSIST

(In conjunction with a forward-facing windshieldmounted camera)

Speed-dependent Steering Assist may provide variable
steering assist based on vehicle speed to potentially help
the driver experience easier steering response at low
speeds and a firmer steering response at high speeds. The
vehicle is equipped with two selectable steering profiles for
driving preference (driver can select via the dash):

• May detect lane markings and evaluate relative vehicle
position
• May recognize when the vehicle begins to drift towards
the lane markings

•

Profile 1 (default): At low speeds, such as in city driving,
or while yard maneuvering and parking, less steering
effort is experienced to help reduce driver exertion; or,

•

Profile 2: At higher speeds, such as cruising on
highways, the wheel feels firmer, with a more on-center
feel, to help the driver maintain a steady position.

• May distinguish between planned lane changes and
lane drifting
• May intervene before the vehicle reaches the lane
markings
• May automatically apply a gentle correction torque to
the steering wheel
• May smoothly release steering torque as soon
as the vehicle trajectory is
re-established
• LKA may become active at 37
mph (59 kph)
• The driver may use the disable
switch to override or suppress
LKA-applied steering wheel
toque; this feature may be
useful when driving on roads
with inconsistent lane markings
that can cause excessive false
warnings. Examples would
include construction zones,
poorly marked lanes, or missing lane markings. The
system alerts will automatically become available again
after 15 minutes or if the disable switch is pressed a
second time.

IMPORTANT
There is no activation on/off switch for the speeddependent steering assist feature. The driver should
always drive normally and safely.
Active Return may return the steering wheel to near center
position at lower speed maneuvers.

IMPORTANT
There is no activation on/off switch for the active
return feature. The driver may override this feature
by applying additional steering input force. The
driver should always drive normally and safely.
Road Disturbance Compensation may reduce steering
wheel vibration typically caused by road disturbances like
potholes, road debris, and other rough road conditions.

IMPORTANT
There is no activation on/off switch for the road
disturbance compensation feature. The driver should
always drive normally and safely.

3

SYSTEM COMPONENTS
BENDIX™ AUTOVUE® FLC-20™ CAMERA
• The forward-facing camera may track the lane markers
and provide the lane characteristics for the left and right
marker to the Steering Assist System over the vehicle
communication network. In addition, the system also
may provide information on when the lane departure
warnings will be suppressed, allowing the Lane Keep
Assist (LKA) feature to be suppressed at the same
time. See Figure 3.

STEERING ASSIST ECU
• The Electronic Control Unit (ECU) for the Steering
Assist System is a standalone unit designed to work
with J1939 Vehicle CAN and applicable system
components. See Figure 4.

• For additional information, see the Bendix™ AutoVue®
FLC-20™ Camera Service Data Sheet, SD-64-20124,
available for download on b2bendix.com.
• The AutoVue FLC-20 is compatible with later versions
of Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ systems.
AUTOVUE FLC-20 WINDSHIELD
MOUNTING BRACKET

Connector

ECU

Figure 4 – S
teering Assist Electronic Control Unit (ECU)

• The properly mounted windshield bracket holds the
camera secure and keeps it facing the correct direction
to help to successfully determine lane width and
position. See Figure 3.

MAGNETIC TORQUE OVERLAY (MTO) POWER
STEERING GEAR
• The MTO power steering gear enables hydraulic
steering. See Figure 5. For additional service and
troubleshooting information, refer to the Sheppard™
D-Series Integral Power Steering Gear manual on
rhsheppard.com.

Bendix™ AutoVue®
FLC-20™ Camera
Camera
Bracket

Figure 3 – Bendix™ AutoVue® FLC-20™ Camera & Bracket
Figure 5 – M
agnetic Torque Overlay (MTO) Steering Gear

4

TROUBLESHOOTING
Read and follow the General Safety Guidelines shown
on Page 2 of this document.

IMPORTANT
All vehicle Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) related
to the engine; transmission; instrument cluster;
engine cruise control; Bendix® ABS, ATC, ESP®, or
Fusion® systems; or third-party components must
first be resolved – with no DTCs present during the
vehicle operation while in cruise control – prior to
running Bendix® ACom® PRO™ Diagnostic Software
to resolve Steering Assist System DTCs.

IMPORTANT
If a problem with the Steering Assist System is detected,
it should be serviced as soon as possible to restore
full functionality. The Lane Keep Assist (LKA) feature
may be deactivated.

BENDIX® ACOM® PRO™
DIAGNOSTIC SOFTWARE
Bendix® ACom® PRO™ Diagnostic Software is a PC-based
software program available to purchase from bendix.com.
This software provides the technician with access to all
the available Electronic Control Unit (ECU) diagnostic
information and configuration capability. For controllerspecific system diagnostics, use a current version of the
ACom PRO Diagnostic Software.

STARTING BENDIX ACOM PRO
DIAGNOSTIC SOFTWARE
ACom PRO Diagnostic Software can be started from the
desktop shortcut. See Figure 6.
1. Select Connect from the main toolbar.
2. Select Heavy Duty for the connection type to connect
to the vehicle BUS using all vehicle protocols. This
process could take approximately two (2) minutes.

Figure 6 – Starting ACom PRO Diagnostic Software
NOTE: When using the Bendix® ACom® PRO™ Diagnostic
Software for the first time, the service technician will need
to check the communication adapter for the Steering Assist
System controller. During the initial setup, the technician
will need to indicate which adapter to use by accessing
Application Settings, Preferences, then Connection.

3. After the connection is complete, the roll call will
show the ECU and its active and inactive DTCs.
The connection depends on a compatible RP1210C
adapter.
For assistance with the ACom PRO Diagnostic Software,
contact the Bendix Tech Team at 1-800-AIR-BRAKE
(1-800-247-2725, option 2, option 2).
5

For assistance with ACom PRO Diagnostic Software,
contact the Bendix Tech Team at 1-800-AIR-BRAKE
(1-800-247-2725, option 2, option 2).

R E A D I N G T H E S Y S T E M S O F T WA R E
VERSION
1. Connect a current version of ACom PRO Diagnostic
Software to the vehicle.
2. View the software version by selecting the appropriate
vehicle.

Figure 7 – Bendix® ACom® PRO™ Diagnostic
Software – Hardware Interface Screen

READING AND CLEARING DIAGNOSTIC
TROUBLE CODES (DTCs)
IMPORTANT
All vehicle Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) related
to the engine; transmission; instrument cluster;
engine cruise control; Bendix® ABS, ATC, ESP®, or
Fusion® systems; or third-party components must
first be resolved – with no DTCs present during the
vehicle operation while in cruise control – prior to
running Bendix® ACom® PRO™ Diagnostic Software
to resolve Steering Assist System DTCs.
1. Connect a current version of the ACom PRO
Diagnostic Software to the vehicle.
2. Once the roll call is complete, you can view active and
inactive Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) and clear
DTCs from all vehicle components or solely from a
selected Bendix controller.
3. To read and clear DTCs from all vehicle components
at the same time, select the vehicle on the roll call
and clear the DTCs by selecting Clear Faults.
4. To read and clear DTCs from a specific Bendix
Electronic Control Unit (ECU), select the Bendix ECU
on the roll call and select Clear Faults.

6

Figure 8 – Bendix ACom PRO Diagnostic Software
Starter Screen Showing Software Version

HOW TO GENERATE A DIAGNOSTIC
TROUBLE CODE (DTC) REPORT
1. Connect a current version of the Bendix® ACom® PRO™
Diagnostic Software with the vehicle. NOTE: The
current version will show at the bottom of the ACom
PRO startup screen.
2. Once the roll call is complete, select the DTC Report
icon in the top menu.
3. The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) report drop-down
gives the following options:
•

Print DTC Report

•

Print Preview of the DTC Report

•

Submit DTC Report

Figure 11 – Check Steering ECU Alert
2. Connect a laptop to the tractor’s diagnostic port and use
Bendix ACom PRO Diagnostic Software to generate a
DTC report. After generating the DTC report, perform
the following:
A.

heck the calibration of the Bendix® EC-80™ ESP®
C
steering angle sensor using ACom PRO Diagnostic
Software as follows:
i.

ith the engine running, ensure the
W
steer tires are positioned at 12 o’clock for
straight-line motion of the vehicle. It may
be necessary to drive the vehicle forward
in a straight line before proceeding to the
next step.

ii.

In ACom PRO Diagnostic Software, select
Bi-Directional Test in the header.

iii.

Select the Bendix® EC-80™ ESP ABS in
the pop-up window.

iv.

S elect the Steering Angle Test and
Calibration option.

v.

Select Start.

vi.

STEERING ANGLE SENSOR (SAS) AND
LANE KEEP ASSIST (LKA) DIAGNOSTIC
TESTING

he pop-up window will display three tabs.
T
Select the first tab, Steering Angle Test,
then select Next. Follow the procedure as
listed and note whether the calibration is
accurate by observing that the measured
steering angles are within the GREEN box
during each step of the test.

vii.

1. Determine if there are any active driver alerts on the
driver display. Specifically check if the Check Steering
Electronic Control Unit (ECU) alert is active. See
Figure 11.