UNIQUE CONCEPT IN SAFETY: DAF

We had a chance to closely review and test-drive the new generation vehicles at the event and met DAF Trucks Turkey Managing Director Gregor van der Mark. Gregor van der Mark has underlined that the DAF trucks used in Turkey, are at the same standards with those in Europe and stated that they offer a unique concept of safety. Mark said: "DAF is the only truck brand that stretches its cabin on rear-end collisions to prevent damage to driver"

"Only DAF Has This Safety System"

We had a chance to closely review the vehicles throughout the event. Your new generation vehicles have been updated on many aspects. Let's talk about safety in detail. What are the features of these vehicles in terms of especially cabin safety and driver's safety to eliminate the risk of roll overs? We know that there have been roll overs at major projects in Turkey and safety has become highly important on new generation vehicles. What can you say on this issue?

Our vehicle has a safety system. Thanks to these systems on-board, it ensures that the tractor truck stays inside the lane. So, tractor truck automatically has a lane departure warning system. Aside from that, there is a system that ensures that the vehicle stays on two wheels when the driver enters a curve too fast, and prevents it from rolling over. So, there is a safety system against that. This is how the system works; if the driver makes a manoeuvre and the system detects it, the system activates all the brakes to stabilise the tractor truck. DAF is the only truck brand that stretches its cabin on rear-end collisions to prevent damage to driver. When the driver crashes into someone else while cruising in a traffic jam, the cabins of the XF FT and CF FT stretches and leans towards the rear. That's how the cabin absorbs the energy from a direct collision. If the vehicle lacks such a system, it becomes a full collision, catching the driver in the middle.

"Our Unique Safety Concept"

Only DAF has this safety system against collisions. This system is our unique safety concept. In addition; we have an adaptive cruise control and emergency brake system. A radar located on the tractor trucks constantly monitor what's going on up the road. When an automobile brakes in front of the tractor, it automatically brakes unless the driver makes any response. It can even completely stop the vehicle. This is a very important and valuable feature as it instantly terminates the travel. This feature is found on all our tractor trucks. Some of these safety features are due to the regulations in Europe. That's because Europe has very strict regulations on safety; however, other systems like the rear-side leaning of the cabin, are features that DAF has added to the vehicle on its own. So, it doesn't depend on the regulations; we want to keep the driver alive! We don't want them to lose their lives in accidents. This is very important. Lastly, the vehicle features a very high safety level in terms of system and mechanics.

"We Offer the Same Quality Level in Turkey"

Does DAF make such tailored production for Turkey? Does it manufacture anything exclusively for the Turkish conditions?

We don't make such production. We only have a single factory in Eindhoven for Europe and worldwide. We have a factory in Brazil; however, that location only manufactures for Brazil. The tractor trucks you've seen at the event, are the same as those in Turkey. Why? Because Turkey's highway quality is similar to those in Europe It has no difference. The only difference in Turkey is that we have an extra package to ensure additional cooling for the tractor. Because temperatures are higher in most provinces of Turkey. It is different when we look at a national truck. For example; there is a tractor truck used for mining between Antalya and Isparta. You have these mines where they mine rocks. These mines require extra rugged chassis. That's why we have developed a national speck for that. The quality level we deliver in Holland is the same as the quality level we deliver in Turkey.

"Our Dealerships Have Special Delivery Agents"

There is a lot of special conditions for Euro 6 vehicles. For instance, the regeneration, cleaning the particulate filters... In order to ensure better performance for the vehicle, drive them properly and make sure that their maintenance intervals don't come earlier than normal, drivers should also be highly informed about the vehicle.  Can you inform the drivers sufficiently in Turkey? 

Now with Euro 6, especially at DAF; we have so many new things in the truck. For someone who drives a Euro 3 and then gets inside a Euro 6, that is like two worlds. So, what our dealers have now is special delivery agents, special delivery people. You can’t hand over the key. You have to take the key, take the driver, sit down and explain all the system. Drive it with the driver. That’s what we’re trying to give our dealers: you have to do this. If you don’t do it, drivers don’t know and encounter problems. Regeneration, he doesn’t do it and understand it. He sees a flashing light and starts to panic. There are a lot of new things in the trucks. You need to teach those. Do we have a long way to go? Yes, we have a long way to go. Because there are many drivers that say: "I’ve already driven a truck for 20 years. I don’t have to learn anything!"

"If the Driver Is Not Educated, It Means You're in Trouble"

Dealers have specialized trainers to educate the drivers.  We also have an academy. In the near future, we'll try to offer driver trainings for the bigger companies. They will send their driver so that he can learn how to drive more economically.  Because what we see is that a lot of drivers, they know how to do this. But they don’t know how to use the retarder or engine brake, how to drive as smooth as possible and how to use the vehicle so that they don’t use all the diesel. That is the way ahead. That is something that we have to teach and give to the drivers and also the companies. Because at the end, everybody wants to earn money. To earn money, the driver has to behave very good. You give the driver a tool of a hundred thousand Euros and with the load, let’s say that the load is also worth 50 to 100 thousand Euros. Basically, the guy is playing with 200 thousand euros. If the driver is not educated, it means you're in trouble.

"We Have a Plan and We're Following That Plan"

Let's talk a bit about the Turkish market...Previously, DAF was already in Turkey; however, it has been operating Turkey on its own for nearly two years now. What has been the course of the company throughout this 1 year period? Has it been able to reach its goals?

Our goal is to reach 10 percent of the marketshares.  However, we need years for this. To reach 10%, we need to offer more products. We need to have better finance, maintenance etc. So, we will offer the same products we offer in Europe, in Turkey. It will just be the copy of our sales units in Germany, in Holland. And we will grow to that. That is the plan and those are the steps. And we will follow these steps. We have an organized organization. We don’t go left-right, left-right. We have a plan and we follow that. And the plan is to come up with better finance and R&M within two to three years. We need to establish dealers. We need to train them. We need to make them operational. We need to get them to know the organization because it is a complete different organization than TSM was.  We approach things differently. We need time for that and we will take our time. We have a plan and we’re on track at the moment.

"We Will Have Sufficient Dealers to Serve the Market"

How many dealerships and service stations do you currently have? What are your near-term plans for your dealerships and service stations?

We aim for bigger dealers. We aim for dealers who have more than one outlet. That is the best way to go forward. That is what we see in Europe as well. We currently have 4 dealerships. The plan is to come to maybe 6 or 8 big dealers with several service stations. So, one dealer is responsible for an area and in that area, he has several service stations or service shops. He is responsible for that. So, we’re not going to have a dealer on every corner of the city but we will have sufficient dealers to serve the market.

"Our Fuel Consumption Is Very Very Good"

Lately there has been a very strict competition between import brands in Turkey. They constantly develop their own technologies. So, why should a Turkish customer prefer DAF vehicles?

Fuel consumption and quality. What you will see is that, at the end there, you also saw it yesterday at the presentations. What is important is that how the vehicle drives. And it drives economical as possible.  Fuel consumption is high priority. The second priority is that the truck doesn’t stand still. Based on these two; they will see how good DAF is with fuel consumption and quality. And I don’t want to say that other brands are different in quality but our quality is high and our fuel consumption is like very very good. If you do like 26-25l/100km on full load, you’re really doing well.

Is it possible that DAF will invest in Turkey, inaugurate a factory or facility there?

Maybe, but that’s out of my scope. Who knows what will happen in long-term.