SuperNice Express (SuperNice), a brand under the Unimax Group received the first industry-leading Scania coaches with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) in Malaysia. Roy Chew, Unimax Group Chairman received the keys to two units of Scania K360IB4x2 coaches with ADAS from Heba El Tarifi, Managing Director, Scania Southeast Asia. An MoU signing ceremony was also held for an order of 10 more units, made up of six double-deck and four single-deck coaches with ADAS as well. This historic event was witnessed by Professor Dr Wong Shaw Voon, Chairman of Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and Robert Lejon, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Sweden.   

“The ADAS features will bring out the best from the Scania coaches in terms of safety and comfort for passengers and the drivers, alongside the already well-known fuel efficiency benefits for express bus operations and the reduction in CO2 emissions. Profitability is therefore achieved for my business,” stated Chew.

The standard ADAS Safety features include the Electronic Braking System (EBS), Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Retarder. Further enhanced safety options such as the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and the new Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB), a system that uses camera and radar to prevent a collision with the vehicle in front through automatic braking, were added on. The technologically advanced AEB is a first to be used in a coach in Malaysia and will elevate SuperNice to the highest safety platform. 

“The Scania with ADAS technology is one of the many aspects the transport industry needs to move forward to reduce the number of road accidents in Malaysia. I believe SuperNice’s stance will encourage other express bus operators to follow suit,” stated Wong.

These Scania coaches also include Repair & Maintenance (R&M) contract. This is to assure SuperNice of maximum uptime and that the ADAS is maintained by Scania to secure the highest safety standard consistently. The Scania Hire Purchase agreement from Scania Credit Malaysia supports SuperNice with predictable cost over the entire lifecycle of the coaches. The complimentary FMS Control 10, onboard these coaches will help SuperNice reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions through the power of data analysis.

One could ask why Scania has not opted to make ADAS standards, instead of offering various options that customers can add on. However, El Tarifi said that there is a solid business case for sticking with the current practice as each business needs to be evaluated individually and that in some cases ADAS may not be required. "Each of our products is specified in collaboration with the client to find the best possible solution to address their needs and more importantly, ensure their highest profitability. There are, of course, certain applications where the addition of ADAS is not mandated or required," she said. In doing so, the specification of a Scania vehicle is tailored to the individual needs without incurring cost that are not needed. 

“I am glad SuperNice decided to adopt a higher safety standard with the ADAS. I am also confident that their operations will enjoy the best profitability through total solutions from Scania,” concluded El Tarifi.