The next-generation TopClass and ComfortClass are a dream for any bus driver. Dietmar Denzel showed us why on a test drive.
SetraWorld Magazine
A first-class seat with a steering wheel.
Why the Setra cockpit is now even more attractive.
A first-class seat with a steering wheel.
Why the Setra cockpit is now even more attractive.
We have an appointment with Dietmar Denzel from the Acoustics, Ergonomics and HMI team. HMI is short for “Human Machine Interface”, the way people communicate with their technologies. This means Denzel deals with everything that connects the bus driver with the workplace – the bus. This includes ergonomics, functionality, operation, touch and feel, and, of course, comfort. In front of us is his latest “test subject”: a new-generation Setra TopClass.
Keyless entry.
“We make sure the coaches are quiet, ergonomic and easy to operate,” Dietmar Denzel says, explaining his field of work. For example, with keyless start. Just pressing a button on the key is enough to set the majestic door of the super-high-decker swinging open. Denzel casually drops the key back in his pocket. “Once you enter the coach, it detects the presence of the key in the cockpit area. To start the motor, all you need to do is press and hold the start button,” he states. This makes life easier while also preventing theft thanks to the integrated immobiliser.
Storage compartments all round.
So can we hit the road now? “First,” says Denzel, “we have to ask the habitual question – where, as a driver, can I put all my stuff?” No problem – the Setra expert has put together a special package. Two mobile phones, sunglasses, a laptop bag, a folder of papers, a keyring, small cup and large bottle – all find their place within arm’s reach around the driver’s seat. All new is the left-hand phone compartment with an anti-slip mat, clip fastener and USB charging socket. Space for a second phone is only a hand’s breadth away.
“The electronic handbrake is both a comfort and a safety feature.”
Electronic handbrake.
Then come the high beam assistant and newly arranged assistance system buttons. If you turn on Active Drive Assist 2, Dietmar Denzel adds, “you will be able to steer very easily in city traffic or when manoeuvring, as it is electrically supported.” “And for all-round oversight there is the new 360° camera system.”
“The new, electronic handbrake is both a comfort and a safety feature,” Dietmar Denzel continues. He points out two of its functions. One is the “hold” function: tread on the brake pedal when stopping and the coach stays in place. Even on a hill. It holds until the driver once again accelerates. “It’s as easy as pie,” he says. The handbrake, which activates automatically when the driver turns off the ignition or leaves their seat, offers further safety.
360° views by camera.
Christian Dillschneider takes the stage. The project leader for the 360° camera system hops on board. “The system helps in many situations by extending visibility in all directions, when manoeuvring, turning or in tight spots,” Dillschneider asserts. He raises the example of nastily placed bollards: “As a driver, I can see all the wheels and know when I can turn in and get round safely.”
“The 360° camera system helps when manoeuvring, turning or taking tight corners.”
And this is how it works: four cameras at the front, rear and sides create raw imagery with an angle of vision of 195° horizontally and 134° vertically. Dillschneider: “A control device processes the images and turns them into a complete 360° bird’s-eye-view. It is displayed on a ten-inch screen on the A-pillar.
The bird’s-eye view is brilliant: “That is in HD resolution, you can see every gap between the paving stones and crack in the tarmac,” Christian Dillschneider enthuses. Depending on the driving situation, individual images from each side may be added. The driver can also select the desired view manually on the touchscreen. The bird’s-eye-view has a range of vision of five to seven metres in all directions, while the individual images run from the edge of the vehicle to the horizon – or an obstacle.
When travelling forward and reversing, spacing lines aid orientation. Night mode uses residual light. Whether its a visual spot check at a bustling depot, manoeuvring into a narrow hotel parking space or entering a tight spot: with the new 360° camera system, Setra drivers maintain an overview.
As if to prove how useful it is, Dietmar Denzel masterfully manoeuvres the 13-metre bus back into the hall.
You can obtain full information on the 360° camera system here:
