The Mack mDRIVE automated manual transmission (AMT) is now standard on the Mack Pinnacle highway model. mDrive offers increased fuel efficiency, productivity and safety to even more Mack customers, and more than 50% of Pinnacle models sold now are equipped with the transmission, said the company.
Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks North American Sales and Marketing, made the announcement during the 2014 American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition in San Diego, Calif.
“We at Mack decided to offer the mDRIVE as standard equipment because we believe that the best components delivering the best benefits to the customer should be the standard,” Roy said. “Our confidence in the mDRIVE and its ability to offer increased efficiency, productivity and safety will set the bar for the industry.”
According to Mack, the mDRIVE requires minimal service and reduces maintenance downtime. With its simplified shifting, the mDRIVE also can help attract and retain drivers.
“The mDRIVE helps customers work faster and smarter by eliminating traditional shifting,” Roy said. “By removing that task, mDRIVE allows drivers to focus on the job at hand: delivering their cargo safely and on time.”
The mDRIVE is controlled through a dash-mounted shift pad with an integrated display to indicate the current gear. The Mack Co-Pilot driver display, located in the center of the instrument panel, displays the mDRIVE’s status, including the number of upshifts or downshifts available, the current gear and the current operating mode.
The mDRIVE is designed to work seamlessly with Mack MP series engines. When combined with a Mack Pedigree Powertrain, the mDRIVE can boost fuel efficiency by up to 1.5% compared to a standard transmission, said the manufacturer.
