Mitchell 1 showcased next-generation electrical diagnostics software and time management tools for truck service operations. Ben Johnson, director of product management, noted that it strengthens Mitchell 1’s focus on preparing technicians for the challenges ahead in servicing the ever more complex and technologically advanced vehicles they will be seeing in their shops–from vehicles equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to fully electric trucks.

During a press conference held at TMC’s 2022 Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition, Johnson, introduced Mitchell 1’s new suite of time management features for shops that service Class 4-8 trucks. Available in Mitchell 1’s Manager SE Truck Series, the software automatically generates productivity statistics as technicians clock in-and out of labor operations, and also enables users to track and report employee shift hours in real time on mobile devices.

The new time management features, coupled with new diagnostic tools, are designed to assist shops with challenges they encounter with increasing electrification of commercial trucks.

“With these new technologies, maintenance technicians will experience a lot of ‘first time’ events in the repair shop with no experience to draw upon,” Johnson said. “What this means is that techs on the front lines will need to adopt a proven electronic diagnostics strategy to succeed in repairing and maintaining fleets with these advanced technologies.”

He detailed new Mitchell 1 features that will help technicians proficiently service advanced vehicle electronics, including added components, wiring, and circuits that they’ve possibly never seen before. With the latest release of TruckSeries repair information, Mitchell 1 has added exclusive features to its wiring diagrams that help save even more time when working on complex electrical issues, the company noted. They enhance diagram navigation making connectors, grounds and splices not only searchable but also interactive.

“At Mitchell 1 we believe the wiring diagram can and should be, the hub of electrical diagnosis with additional information supporting the diagram,” Johnson noted. “However, the wiring diagram is just a single tool in a vast tool-chest of features we deliver to assist the diagnostician in finding the root causes of problems fast and accurately.”

The new enhancements to the Truck-Series Advanced Interactive Wiring Diagrams streamline navigation within a diagram set–or from one diagram set to a completely different diagram set, the company noted. It also adds interactivity to connectors, grounds and splices. Improvements also include a dropdown history that shows the previous 10 diagrams viewed in a session.

Exclusive to Mitchell 1, Advanced Interactive Wiring Diagrams let users navigate via the diagram directly to repair information for components. Component names shown in the wiring diagrams are active links that take users straight to the information needed, such as location, connector views, and replacement procedures.

Connectors, grounds and splices are also now searchable in 1Search and include active hyperlinks that take users directly to related content. Truck-Series not only takes the user to the specific diagram but when the diagram is opened the component, connector, ground, or splice will be in focus with all the traces already highlighted.

Johnson on how EVs could change the service

“With all these technologies coming at us so fast, we’re going to have a lot of ‘first times’ in the next several years. We’re going to have to get back to a good old-fashion diagnostic process to fix the latest trucks,” he said. “Most technicians aren’t that electronic-system savvy. To help them out, no matter what the technology is, it’s going to involve wiring. The reality is that the the electrical diagram is just a tool in electrical diagnostic process.”

He then dove into a use case of Mitchell 1’s Advanced Interactive Wiring Diagram:

In terms of the potential commonalities of electrical systems of electric trucks compared to diesel, Johnson said:

“What we see in EVs is that there are traditional 12- or 24-volt circuits that run AC blowers and other things, then there’s the high voltage system that runs the propulsion system. The diagram themselves will look similar, but we’re watching what the OEMs are doing to diagram this. We’ve seen a mishmash of some OEMs detailing what the high voltage systems are and some that aren’t as clear. So the wiring diagrams you saw here will translate to electric trucks.”