Daimler Truck puts road safety more at the center and links this goal closely to its own electrification strategy. The company has, according to its own statements, together with Daimler Buses and the association Blicki, presented a new initiative that is intended mainly to protect children in road traffic. At the same time the group uses the public stage in Berlin to present technical measures and new vehicle concepts that are meant to make the operation of heavy commercial vehicles safer. For companies in road freight transport, this represents not only a safety policy signal, but also a hint as to how fleets will change in the course of electrification.
An initiative responds to changing conditions
The new nationwide campaign is titled “Deutschland blickt’s” and is planned to start in 2026. According to Daimler Truck, it is aimed mainly at preschool and primary school pupils. The Blicki association, which has organized road safety trainings for years, coordinates the program together with partners from politics and industry. The Federal Ministry of Transport presented the initiative in Berlin, supported by Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder, VDA President Hildegard Müller, and the two Daimler managers Achim Puchert and Till Oberwörder.
According to the information, the
project responds to developments that many transport managers know from daily life: increasing aggressiveness in road traffic and new challenges posed by electric drives. The quiet operation of electric vehicles, their dynamic starting, and the complex high-voltage technology, according to Blicki, are changing the conditions in traffic and impose higher demands on attention and consideration. Daimler Truck provides vehicles and sites for the initiative where trainings are to take place.
Key figures particularly relevant to freight transport
Daimler Truck points to data from the Federal Statistical Office that illustrate the dimension of the problem. In 2024, every 19 minutes a child in road traffic was injured or killed. Particularly relevant for road freight transport: in crashes involving heavy commercial vehicles, around 90 percent of the victims were not part of the driving personnel, but were other road users. This underscores how trucks and buses operate in critical situations, even when they are driven correctly.
Safety Truck as a signal for a new phase of road safety
The group used the Berlin event to present its new Safety Truck. It is a battery-electric eActros 600, designed for long-haul transport. According to Daimler Truck, this truck demonstrates the current state of safety technology and also
illustrates how the framework conditions are shifting with electrification.
The quiet propulsion systems require additional acoustic warning systems. The company points to the legally mandated AVAS, which generates sounds when moving forward and in reverse, so that pedestrians and cyclists better perceive the truck. In addition, new requirements for emergency responders, who must familiarize themselves with high-voltage technology.
Passive and active safety in focus
The eActros 600 is based on a comprehensive safety concept. According to the press release, the developers placed passive safety at the forefront early on. In real crash tests, the high-voltage system remained stable, and the frame architecture prevented critical deformations. Energy absorption zones and reinforced driver cabs are intended to reduce the consequences of a crash.
Also for buses, Daimler is relying on comparable solutions. The Safety Coach features a Front Collision Guard, which in a frontal impact forms an underride protection and protects the interior by the driver's seat moving rearward in a controlled manner.
In addition to passive safety, the group emphasizes the role of active driver-assistance systems. These include emergency braking and turning assist, forward collision warnings, traffic sign recognition, and attention monitoring. The MirrorCam, a camera-based mirror replacement system, plays a central role. It
is intended especially to provide better visibility when turning, overtaking and maneuvering, and also supplies the displays for the turn assist.
Trainings are intended to support drivers
Daimler Truck notes that the technology is only one part of road safety. The group brands offer training in which drivers practice hazard situations in realistic simulations. They also learn the practical handling of the safety systems, which, according to the company, improves driving practice as well as fulfills statutory further training requirements.
Safety as a unifying element
Daimler Truck aligns all these developments with its own safety strategy.
“Trucks keep the economy and our lives running and are thus an integral part of traffic,” said Achim Puchert in Berlin. As a manufacturer, one bears special responsibility.
The figures from accident statistics support this statement. They show how large the damage potential of heavy commercial vehicles is and how important technical and organizational measures remain.
For transport and logistics companies this yields a clear perspective: The electrification of fleets changes not only drivetrains and ranges, but also the way safety is conceived and implemented. Daimler Truck provides new technologies and concepts for this—and links them with politically and socially relevant initiatives that extend far beyond vehicle
