International’s plan for supporting its new powertrain after the sale
It’s one thing to launch a new product and another to support it after the sale, but that’s when the true “total cost of ownership” is realized. At some point in any piece of equipment’s lifecycle, there are maintenance needs. How quickly the component is fixed and back on the road generating revenue can make
SuperTruck, Autonomous Truck, Electric Truck: Peterbilt’s biggest technology lineup
Parked side by side, Peterbilt’s most advanced trucks–its autonomous Model 579 test truck, the 2023 SuperTruck, and the battery electric Model 579EV day cab–were an impressive display of how quickly and far truck technology has advanced, even through two years of world-altering events. The autonomous Model 579 on display was a next step in the
Talking light weight suspension spec for electric trucks
The very nature of electric trucks being simpler, from a component POV, compared with their diesel brethren means that we tend to gloss over the equipment nuances. While the commercial vehicle segment is still wrapping its arms around electric truck applications, so too are we starting to understand the spec’ing strategies that come with an
Hands on with Mack Trucks Command Steer
Command Steer is an active steering system that adds an electric motor to the existing hydraulic steering to help reduce driver effort by up to 85% and improve driver productivity and comfort, according to Mack. Mack Command Steer provides variable steering assist based on the driving situation. Multiple sensors throughout the truck monitor road conditions,
The value of truck parts availability, visibility
So where is the part?! Raise your hand if you’ve found yourself yelling that at some point this year. Supply chain challenges have hit every segment of the trucking industry, and the impact on service turn times might be one of the most frustrating. A lot of that frustration is born from the lack of
The unintended ADAS consequences of seemingly unrelated truck repairs
A truck rolls into a service shop and needs a radiator replaced. The technician dutifully does the job, moving components out of the way, replacing the radiator and putting everything back into place. The truck rolls out, but when the truck rolls under certain overpasses, a shuddering of the active brake assist systems runs through
Upfitting an electric truck for vocational applications
Short routes. Return-to-home operations. Those are seemingly slam-dunk applications for electric trucks. We’ve seen electric trucks roll large in pick-up-and-delivery applications, as well as regional haul routes. So what’s the hold up in the vocational truck space? Like many trucking segments, challenges come with the unknown. Chassis space and weight play a larger role in
The road to self-driving trucks with Torc Robotics CEO
The automated truck driving excitement among some fleets is palpable. The automated driver assistance systems–like the currently available adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist features–that are the foundational stepping stones of automated driving technology are seeing strong adoption rates, according to OEMs. Yet, the step from Level 2 automated assistance systems to Level 4
Complete equipment solutions that still tackle specific vocational tasks
Dump applications, flatbed and drop-deck hauls, dry bulk loads, pneumatic tank and liquid tank trailers–what do those applications have in common? On the surface, not much. Sure, it still involves a truck and hauling from Point A to B, but specialized applications often require specialized solutions. That can create a challenge for manufacturers and suppliers
Freightliner Plus Series medium-duty truck walk around
Productivity and safety were the names of the Freightliner Plus Series M2 and SD games when the OEM unveiled the refreshed medium-duty and vocational trucks at a pre-launch truck event earlier this summer. While the talking point of truck technology finding its way into the vocational truck segment has been building over the past several
What the Inflation Reduction Act means for fleet electrification plans
Could the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) be a turning point for trucking fleet electrification? Steve Koerner, vice president of policy, AMPLY Power (now a part of bp’s global electrification brand, bp pulse) sure thinks so. He called the IRA a “historic piece of legislation. … This is real. This is going to change the marketplace.”
The real-time impact of A.I.-powered in-cab cameras
In the world around us, cameras are ubiquitous. Security cameras, phone cameras, laptop cameras. There’s a camera pointed at me right now. And they’re finding their way into truck cabs. More and more fleets are spec’ing in-cab cameras that provide visibility into on-road situations that can help protect the driver. That means lots of video
