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Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017 . .

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / February 26, 2017

Volvo Trucks Australia / February 27, 2017 Maxine Taylor, 52, keeps her family tradition alive, driving a 175-tonne rated road train across the Australian outback in 48-degree temperatures. Her father and her husband - both now passed away - had the same profession. “I think my husband would be very proud,” Taylor says, adding that her father drove a Volvo too. “So it’s very close to my heart.“ Six days a week for eight weeks in a row, she makes an 800 kilometre round trip to pick up manganese. After the eight weeks have passed she gets two weeks off before it all starts over again. .

Scania reaches milestone: 250,000 connected vehicles Scania Group Press Release / February 27, 2017 Connectivity is an integral part of Scania’s customer offering since many years. As Scania now launches a new connectivity offering, the number of connected Scania vehicles has reached a quarter million. This amounts to two thirds of Scania’s 5-year rolling fleet. “The world of heavy transport stands on the brink of a fundamental shift towards sustainable transport. Digitalisation and connectivity will play a pivotal role in enabling this shift,” says Henrik Henriksson, President and CEO of Scania. With the aim to lead the shift towards sustainable transport systems, Scania has outlined a strategy that focuses on greater energy efficiency, smarter and safer transport and the increased utilisation of alternative renewable fuels. One key enabler of change is connectivity, which Scania pioneered as a standard feature. Today more than 50,000 Scania customers globally benefit from in-depth data on fleet performance for their one-quarter million vehicles. “We continue to get a growing share of our revenue from connectivity and other new areas. This past year we saw about 5% of our top line directly or indirectly depending on connected vehicles,” says Henriksson. Through connectivity there is great potential to eliminate waste in the transport system, and ensure the highest uptime. This is essential in an industry where a truck that spends just a few days off the road can have high impact on a customer’s earnings. The right combination of connected services can also help reduce fuel costs, which usually constitute one-third of transport company expenditure. In addition, with a connected fleet, there is enormous potential in finding flow efficiency gains in the industries where Scania’s customers’ customers operate, for example in construction, city public transport and forestry. Scania uses real time data to optimise a flow and predict for the specific route and for the specific customer how to get the most out of each vehicle. Irrespective of whether it is maintaining a long haul truck as many days as possible on the road, or if it is knowing the logistics of a large scale construction site or if it is optimising public transport systems in large cities, connectivity and data analysis helps deliver the best possible transport service for each customer. Autonomous technology where Scania also collaborates with communications technology giant Ericsson on enhancing wireless communication between heavy vehicles, is another area making fast progress. The possibilities offered in the autonomous space will grow further as the 5G networks that Ericsson is developing will be deployed. Scania has recently been awarded a project to design the world’s first full-scale autonomous truck platooning operations in Singapore. With reliable inter-communications between trucks and buses, distances between vehicles can be safely reduced, reducing drag and lowering fuel consumption. Connectivity also enables real-time updates on weather conditions, obstacles on the road, and other hazards that might pose a safety risks. Scania is now further developing its efficiency-enhancing services through the open, non-proprietary Scania One, with a platform for existing and coming Scania services and external content. It provides a comprehensive gateway to all presently available and coming services in the device of choice, mobile or stationary. .

Volvo Group Press Release / February 28, 2017 With the Volvo Concept Truck Volvo Trucks has developed its first hybrid vehicle designed for long haul applications. In combination with the vehicle’s other improvements, the total reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 is around 30 per cent. Volvo Trucks first unveiled the Volvo Concept Truck in May 2016, and has now developed and enhanced the vehicle even further. In addition to the improvements in aerodynamics, rolling resistance and reduced weight, the new version also features a hybrid powertrain – one of the first of its kind for heavy-duty trucks in long haul applications. “We strive to be at the forefront of electromobility and to constantly push the limits when it comes to reducing fuel consumption and emissions,” says Claes Nilsson, CEO at Volvo Trucks. “Over the coming years, as society moves more and more towards renewable energy, we strongly believe that electromobility and hybrid technology will become increasingly important. The powertrain in our concept truck has been developed to improve transport efficiency and thereby help the industry towards sustainable transport. With the concept truck we will gain valuable knowledge and experience, which will help us develop the technology further.” The Volvo Concept Truck is the result of the Swedish part of a bilateral research project involving both the Swedish energy authority Energimyndigheten and the US Department of Energy. An American Concept Truck, the SuperTruck project, was developed as part of the US Department of Energy’s SuperTruck programme, which promotes research and development to improve transport efficiency for long-haul operations in North America. Facts: Electric hybrid powertrain - Recovers energy when driving downhill on slopes steeper than one per cent, or when braking. The recovered energy is stored in the vehicle’s batteries and used to power the truck in electric mode on flat roads or low gradients. - An enhanced version of Volvo Trucks’ driver support system I-See, which has been developed specially for the hybrid powertrain, analyses the upcoming topography using information from GPS and the electronic map. - In long haul transportation, it is estimated that the hybrid powertrain will allow the combustion engine to be shut off for up to 30 per cent of driving time. This will save between 5-10 per cent in fuel, depending on the vehicle and its drive cycle. See film about Volvo Concept Truck here Read more about Volvo Concept Truck here Learn more about Volvo SuperTruck here .

With aging jets and a shortage of pilots, the Air Force weighs buying throwback ‘light-attack’ planes The Washington Post / February 28, 2017 The U.S. Air Force, faced with a potentially protracted war against the Islamic State, aging fighter jets and a shrinking force of pilots, is examining the adoption of a new fleet of “light-attack” planes that are both a throwback to earlier U.S. operations and a current staple of militaries in South America and the Middle East. The aircraft would be able to carry out airstrikes against the Islamic State and other militants for less money than the F-16 Fighting Falcon or the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Options available could include Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucano propeller plane, which the United States has delivered to Afghanistan and other allies, and Beechcraft’s AT-6, a version of which the U.S. military already uses in pilot training. Air Force generals have discussed the proposal several times in recent weeks, saying that the planes could supplement existing aircraft, including drones, in regions where there is no enemy capable of shooting down U.S. planes. Gen. David L. Goldfein, the service’s top officer, said the proposal is part of an ongoing dialogue that dates back years and could soon include an experiment in which private companies demonstrate what the planes can do. “I’m not interested in something that requires a lot of research and development here,” Goldfein said during a recent appearance at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “I’m looking for something that I can get at right now, commercial, off the shelf, low-cost, that can operate in an uncontested environment, that can deliver the capabilities that we need, that can also be something that perhaps our allies and partners that are in this fight with us” use. Goldfein added: “If you assume this fight will be going on for a little bit of time, there is room and time for us to get after this.” The experiment will follow related efforts in Iraq and the United States. In the most recent, U.S. Central Command deployed two Vietnam-era, twin-engine OV-10G Broncos on loan from NASA to Iraq in 2015, flying them in missions against the Islamic State to assess how light-attack planes might help in the air war. The experiment was described by Navy Capt. Andy Walton in an article last year in Proceedings Magazine, a publication of the U.S. Naval Institute. He detailed one mission over Iraq in an OV-10G in which he and a colleague observed militants for hours as they traveled down the Tigris River in canoes, and then fired on them with laser-guided rockets. The use of the planes was the latest step in a program called Combat Dragon II, which dates back nearly a decade and involves Special Operations Command. Goldfein cited it recently, noting that some testing was carried out when he was the commander of Air Forces Central Command from August 2011 to July 2013. One of his bosses at the time was Marine Gen. Jim Mattis, now defense secretary, who supported the program as chief of U.S. Central Command. The Air Force published a paper in 2008 that identified the need for a plane that could carry out both attacks and aerial observation. It called the plane “OA-X” and said continued reliance on other aircraft, ranging from the B-1 bomber to the F-16, at “rates that are much higher than planned and programmed” would wear them out. The Air Force, the paper said, “faces a critical gap in its ability to conduct air support for extended periods in the Long War,” a reference to counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations worldwide. It recommended that the aircraft should have an armored protection for the crew and engine, missile warnings and countermeasures, among other features. Air Force officials estimate that the cost of flying a propeller plane like the A-29 or AT-6 would be a few thousand dollars per hour. In comparison, it costs about $18,000 per hour to fly the A-10 attack jet. Other hourly costs are: $19,000 for the F-16; $24,000 for the F-15E; $42,000 for the F-35A; $44,000 for the AC-130J; $62,000 for the F-22A; $63,000 for the B-52; $77,000 for the B-1B; and $120,000 for the B-2, according to service statistics. The light-attack effort has new momentum in part because one of its chief critics in Congress, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has shifted his opinion on the U.S. military experimenting with the aircraft. In 2011, he criticized research the Navy wanted to do for Combat Dragon as unnecessary because of the existence of the A-10, the slow-moving jet that has long carried out close-air support for U.S. troops in combat. At the time, light-attack planes were seen as a potential replacement for at least some A-10s, which McCain has long championed. However, the service, which once said it would retire all 283 snub-nose “Warthogs” to save an estimated $4.2 billion, now plans to keep them because of their utility in the fight against the Islamic State. McCain said in a recent report titled “Restoring American Power” that the Air Force should not only keep its A-10s but also buy 300 “low-cost, light-attack fighters that would require minimal work to develop.” The planes could carry out counterterrorism operations, perform close-air support and help to season pilots as the Air Force addresses its pilot shortfall, the report said. The shortfall has become an increasing problem as pilots leave the military at a rate that Goldfein and then-Air Force Secretary Deborah James declared a crisis last summer. Data released to The Washington Post showed there were about 723 fighter pilot vacancies in the service among 3,495 jobs, leaving 21 percent unfilled. The Air Force has attributed the shortage to recruiting by the commercial airline industry; frequent deployments keeping pilots away from their families; and a reduction in stateside training amid budget constraints. It says it sees the new light-attack plane as an inexpensive way to get entry-level military pilots into planes as quickly as possible. “When they end their commitment at the end of 10 years, we’re losing a lot of them to the airlines,” said an Air Force official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive personnel matter. “Just to keep up … you have to match that exit every year in the production and seasoning of pilots. You’ve got to have cockpits for those pilots to go to to get that experience and seasoning after you do initial training.” . . .

FCA reveals U.S. state, federal probes on diesel emissions Reuters / February 28, 2017 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV has received subpoenas from U.S. federal and state authorities, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), related to alleged excess diesel emissions by some of its vehicles, the automaker revealed in a filing with the SEC on Tuesday. On the diesel emissions issue, FCA said it has "received various inquiries, subpoenas and requests for information from a number of governmental authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the SEC and several states’ attorneys general. We are investigating these matters and we intend to cooperate with all valid governmental requests," FCA said in its annual report filed Tuesday with the SEC. Earlier this month, a person briefed on the matter said the Justice Department has been involved in the matter for more than six months after getting a referral from the Environmental Protection Agency in July. Involvement by the SEC and state attorneys general has not been previously disclosed. FCA said Jan. 12 that the Justice Department was investigating the matter. The same day, FCA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne rejected the allegations, saying there was no wrongdoing and the company never attempted to create software to cheat emissions rules by detecting when the vehicle was in test mode. FCA in its annual report said it is not able to predict the outcome of the investigations, but disclosed that "the resolution of these matters could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows and may adversely affect our reputation with consumers, which may negatively impact demand for our vehicles." In January, the EPA said the maximum possible fine against FCA could be $4.6 billion. FCA also is facing scrutiny of its emissions compliance from European regulators. The French government said earlier this month that its Consumer Protection Agency had asked a prosecutor to investigate FCA's diesel vehicles. FCA in its annual report said government and regulatory scrutiny "is expected to remain high." The focus FCA top management must pay to regulatory intervention "may divert attention from other key aspects of our business plan" and may require more recalls of vehicles. Last July, FCA confirmed that the SEC and the Justice Department is investigating its U.S. vehicle sales reporting. Soon after that confirmation, FCA revised more than five years of monthly U.S. vehicle sales figures to reflect a new reporting method.

Bloomberg / March 1, 2017 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and states’ attorneys general are investigating its diesel models, showing scrutiny has escalated on vehicles that environmental regulators have said violate pollution laws. Following U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allegations last month that Fiat Chrysler put software in Jeep and Ram diesel models allowing them to exceed pollution limits, the automaker received “various inquiries, subpoenas and requests for information,” according to a regulatory filing Tuesday. The demands have come from authorities including the U.S. Department of Justice, the SEC and several states’ attorneys general. The EPA last month stopped short of calling the software Fiat Chrysler used in about 104,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 models a “defeat device,” which Volkswagen admitted to using in a scandal that’s cost the German company about 22.6 billion euros ($23.9 billion).

International unveils new A26 engine Today’s Trucking / February 28, 2017 International has launched a new 12.4-liter engine, known as the A26, drawing on an engineering project that became known internally as Project Alpha – as well as selected European components. The A26 is replacing the N13 and comes with ratings of 370 to 475 horsepower and 1,350 to 1,750 lb-ft of torque. While built in Alabama, it shares a crankcase and rotating components with MAN’s D26. It will not be the last European influence to be found in International trucks. Volkswagen, which also has an ownership interest in MAN, is taking a 16.6% stake in Navistar, and there are plans to bring a Volkswagen powertrain to North America as early as 2019. “This is an opportunity for us to partner with a world-class organization,” said Bill Kozek, president of truck and parts. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for us to learn a lot from the Volkswagen team, and I think the Volkswagen team will learn a lot from us.” Of course there is still plenty of North American content in the A26, and not just subtle design changes like the different wrist pin on the piston. The A6 has boosted fuel economy 5% over its predecessor, says Darren Gosbee, vice president – advanced engineering. When mated to the recently unveiled LT series truck, the 2018 Model Year will offer a 9% bump in fuel economy compared to Model Year 2015. In three test runs on a 764-kilometer route it achieved 8 miles per gallon (29.4 liters per 100 kilometers), Gosbee said. “This did not include the use of predictive cruise or neutral coast.” Some of the improved fuel economy comes through reduced weights. The 2,229-pound A26 is 55 pounds lighter than the N13 it replaces, and is 700 pounds lighter than a 15-liter engine, but it also helps to shed another 200 pounds of extra weight in vehicle-mounted components, International says. Several upgraded materials have been introduced. Valve covers are made of a composite material, and the flywheel housing is made of shot-peened aluminum, both helping to save weight. The Compacted Graphite Iron crankcase is also said to be stronger than traditional gray iron. Meanwhile, the compressor wheel is now made of titanium, and is part of a simplified single-stage design. Fuel economy is further enhanced with a new Variable Geometry Turbocharger, while fuel is injected through a 36,300-psi high-pressure common rail fuel system. New cylinder head coolant passages are also 50% less restrictive than the ones they replace, reducing parasitic losses to the water pump. Piston pins have been enlarged, and connecting rods and bushings have been optimized. Smaller piston cooling jets have also been introduced to increase oil pressure and improve lubrication, and an oil cooler thermostat bypass lets oil bypass the oil cooler in cold weather. International will offer oil drain intervals of up to 70,000 miles (112,000 kilometers) for fleets that are achieving more than 6.5 miles per gallon (36 liters per 100 kilometers). Diesel Particulate Filters will also last 600,000 miles (about 950,000 kilometers) or 11,000 hours, which essentially eliminates the requirement for the first owners of the engines, Gosbee added. He also refers to the A26 as the “quietest engine in our stable”. That involves several improvements. For example, a rubber gasket designed for the sculpted crankcase isolates the oil pan to absorb vibration and reduce harshness. There’s also a six-blade fan with specially designed gear teeth that have been further calibrated to reduce engine noise. International continues to stress the importance of “uptime” in all of its product launches and business targets. In the last year, dwell times in shops were slashed 50%, and half of all repairs are now turned around in one day, Kozek said. The engine’s over-the-air programming and remote engine calibrations will help to further improve the shop times. “Those trucks do not visit the dealership,” he said. Other durability-related features include a stainless steel, laser-welded, single-stage Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler, and the high-pressure common rail Bosch fuel pump has been tested for six years and been used on the 15-liter MAN D38 since 2015. Loads are distributed with a larger piston pin, connecting rod and bushing. The single variable-geometry turbocharger also features a titanium compressor wheel, promised to offer superior fatigue life. The engine is promised to have a B10 design life of 1.9 million kilometers, describing the point when just 10% of units will fail, and it comes with a two-year warranty with unlimited miles. “It’s a great time to be at International. We’ve been through a lot,” Kozek said, alluding in part to past challenges with the company’s emissions strategy. “We’re coming out of it.” International has submitted the A26 for approval under EPA 17 emissions standards, and is scheduled to enter production in April. The N13 engine, still used in severe service and vocational trucks, is being produced until the end of this year, Gosbee says.

Cummins Extends Oil Drain Intervals to 80,000 Miles Heavy Duty Trucking / February 28, 2017 Cummins says X15 Efficiency Series and X15 Performance Series engine owners can extend their oil drain intervals up to 80,000 miles using the free Cummins OilGuard program, which uses engine performance data and oil analysis to safely optimize oil drain intervals. For years, recommended oil drain intervals have been based on a set distance and/or time period. The Cummins OilGuard program allows participating truck owners to safely extend oil change intervals while keeping full warranty coverage for their Cummins engine. "With oil changes routinely costing $350 or more for the oil, oil filter, labor and disposal costs – and a typical over-the-road trucker performing two to three oil changes per year – we see the potential to significantly reduce costs and downtime, with some customers needing an oil change only once a year," said Mark Ulrich, director of customer support, "Most importantly, you get an optimized oil change interval while preserving your warranty coverage, and at no risk to engine component durability or resale value." It starts with a selection of test vehicles and a monitoring program with regular submission of engine data and oil samples for analysis, covering a minimum of two oil change intervals. For example, fleets desiring an 80,000-mile oil change interval will be required to submit samples every 10,000 miles. Full warranty coverage will continue throughout the testing/analysis period. Once the results are received, Cummins will present the findings, identifying the vehicles and duty cycles eligible for a longer oil-drain interval. The optimized drain interval will then become the required maintenance for warranty coverage. Periodic follow-up testing may be requested by Cummins for verification that no changes in operation or maintenance practices have taken place that might impact the approved oil drain interval. Use of a Cummins-approved CK-4 or FA-4 engine oil is required in order to qualify. Cummins recommends the use of Valvoline Premium Blue engine oils, which are already approved by Cummins for 60,000-mile oil drain intervals in 2017 Cummins X15 engines. That's a 10,000 mile extension compared to other CK-4 engine oils. Cummins will provide sample kits, prepaid mailers and the oil analysis free of charge to every customer participating in the program. The Cummins OilGuard program is currently available for 2017 and newer X15 engines; however, Cummins said it could be extended to other engines in the near future.

Cummins to Offer Engine Maintenance Notifications Heavy Duty Trucking / February 27, 2017 Cummins Engine made it clear Monday night at the opening session of the Technology & Maintenance Council’s Annual Meeting that it is investing heavily in expanded telematics offerings for the North American trucking industry. At a press conference on the TMC show floor, the company announced its new Connected Advisor telematics system, which allows customers to receive information analyzed by engine experts at Cummins, who then report on both critical and noncritical issues, making it easier for fleet managers to make service decisions about the vehicles in their fleets. The system is designed to isolate and interpret key engine and aftertreatment data every day, and provide Cummins Engine customers with prioritized, time-based recommendations to distinguish between immediate repair needs and those that can be scheduled a few days out. Fault reports, including probable causes and recommended actions, are sent to fleet managers daily to help initiate the repair process. For faults requiring prompt attention, immediate notification reports are provided to alert a fleet manager. “A differentiating feature of our Connected Advisor product is the estimated time-to-failure provided for each issue identified," explained Lori Cobb, vice president, Connected Solutions. "With a time frame in mind, customers can proactively manage the issue before it becomes a failure or causes an interruption in the vehicle’s operations.” Cobb said Cummins Connected Diagnostics customers can choose to enhance their remote monitoring capabilities by purchasing the Connected Advisor product. Connected Advisor provides an additional level of support in interpreting engine issues and improving efficiency with time-to-service recommendations. Additionally, Cobb said Cummins has introduced Connected Software Updates, delivering secure over-the-air programming through a telematics service provider. Through the Cummins Connected Solutions portal, fleet managers are notified of software updates available to engines in their fleet. This enables fleet managers to upgrade an individual engine or all eligible engines, or they can choose to pre-approve updates automatically. In other telematics news, Cummins announced it is launching a new mobile app that uses advanced algorithms and cloud computing technology to improve the service experience of its customers. The new Guidanz app allows customers to quickly read Cummins fault codes and other key information on 2007 and newer engines, reducing the need to drive to a certified service location or wait for a technician to arrive on site. Cummins customers can view prioritized engine faults using the Guidanz mobile app paired with an Inline mini Bluetooth adapter, which provides critical information they can quickly share with their operations manager or service provider. By emailing the operations manager directly from the app or calling Cummins Care, the service process is initiated more quickly and easily. The app also links customers to an online service locator, helping them identify the closest certified repair location. Even when offline, Guidanz can provide a list of engine faults to the customer. A Bluetooth-enabled nine-pin connector that plugs directly into the standard SAE J1939-13 interface allows users to quickly retrieve engine information with a Bluetooth-equipped iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. The Guidanz mobile app will be available in April on iOS or Android as a free download at the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. The Inline mini and the Immediate Assessment feature are available through Cummins-authorized channels.

Mack Launches Wireless Software Updates Heavy Duty Trucking / February 28, 2017 Mack Trucks has launched Over The Air, to let customers update software wirelessly to minimize scheduling disruptions and increase efficiency and uptime. The company announced the rollout at the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting here. Two categories of software updates are available through Mack Over The Air: one for powertrain components and the other for vehicle parameters like road speed limits, optimizing performance for customers with trucks that change duty cycles based on economics load type and geographic area. “Mack Over The Air represents the next step in Mack’s industry-leading approach to uptime,” said David Pardue, vice president of connected vehicles and uptime services for Mack Trucks. “Our customers can now make these updates whenever and wherever it is convenient for them.” Mack Over The Air uses Mack GuardDog Connects integrated telematics hardware to deliver the software updates to customers. GuardDog Connect comes standard on every Mack model equipped with a Mack engine and provides proactive monitoring and repair planning, enabling real-time diagnosis of issues, scheduling of repairs and confirmation that needed parts are in stock and ready to install. Mack Over The Air will be available for all Mack models equipped with GuardDog Connect and Mack’s 2017 engines. Mack Trucks also announced with Telogis that it is offering a free 30-day trial of Mack Fleet Management Services with Telogis Fleet. Telogis Fleet for Mack is a fleet management and telematics solution that can be activated over the air and scaled to different fleet sizes. Using data from GuardDog Connect, Telogis Fleet provides real-time visibility of truck and driver performance. “It’s easy to read about the features that Mack Fleet Management Services with Telogis Fleet offers, but it’s a game changer when you can try them first hand,” said Mack's Pardue. “With a 30-day free trial, customers can see exactly how Telogis Fleet can improve their business performance.” Mack models equipped with Mack MP engines and GuardDog Connect hardware built after 2014 are eligible for the free trial, and up to 10 trucks per customer can be included. All features of Telogis Fleet for Mack are available during the free trial period, including Mack-specific diagnostic data, driver behavior scorecards, a fleet intelligence dashboard, vehicle location and history, and real-time alerts. Customers may sign up for the trial through June 30, 2017. No additional hardware is required, and activation is completed over the air. “Maximizing uptime while helping to improve driver safety and performance has become a mission-critical component for any successful fleet,” said Amy Hart Phillips, vice president, OEM business at Telogis. “The 30-day trial is the easiest way for any Mack customer with a connected truck to experience the transformative effects Telogis Fleet for Mack can have.”

Volvo Trucks Increases Uptime, Efficiency with Remote Programming Heavy Duty Trucking / February 28, 2017 Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) is expanding its connected vehicle services with new Remote Programming over-the-air updates for powertrain software and parameters. Remote Programming uses Volvo’s factory-installed telematics hardware and allows Volvo customers to perform over-the-air powertrain software and parameter updates anywhere in the U.S. and Canada where a cellular connection is available, and at the discretion of the vehicle’s decision maker. The system works through Volvo’s Uptime Center, which will trigger the required updates once the fleet decision maker as designated through its Asist system OKs the update. The Uptime Center communicates with the driver to make sure the truck is secure, with the key off and the brakes set, Wade Long, product marketing manager, explained to HDT on Feb 28 at the Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting here. Parameter changes can be initiated at the request of the fleet. For instance, Long said, a fleet might want to change its top speed settings if the price of fuel spikes. Or it may want to change the programming on an engine or transmission to better suit a change in the truck’s application, say from dry bulk to liquid tankers. Starting early next year, he said, the system will be able to remotely correct fault codes using software fixes. “You don’t have to go to the Apple store every time you update the OS on your iPhone,” he said. "This is the same general concept. Instead of having to bring a truck into the shop, plug in and change programming while the shop is in for a PM, it can be done in 10 to 30 minutes while the driver is eating lunch or fueling." The service will be available in the third quarter of 2017 for all Volvo trucks equipped with engines meeting 2017 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions standards. However, Long said, early next year, the company will unveil a program with Geotab, using Geotab’s telematics gateway to offer much of the same functionality for engines back to 2010. “Volvo Trucks continues to invest heavily in connectivity solutions, and we’re proud to bring a true over-the-air solution to market,” said Conal Deedy, director of connected vehicle services for Volvo Trucks. “With Remote Programming, customers can quickly and easily perform updates to help improve the performance and efficiency of their vehicles.” In addition, Volvo notes, customers who historically have not performed software updates due to cost or inconvenience can quickly and easily keep their trucks operating at optimal performance. .

Remote updates coming for Volvo trucks Fleet Owner / February 28, 2017 Volvo Trucks North America is adding remote update capability for all of its vehicles equipped with 2017 Volvo engines, transmissions, aftertreatment systems and other powertrain components. The new Remote Programming service will push our powertrain software updates, which average about two a year, as well as react to fault code conditions that can be corrected with a software download. The new service, which will go live in the 3rd quarter of this year, is initiated by live agents at Volvo’s Uptime Centers, who will notify fleets when a truck is eligible to receive an over-the-air update, according to Ash Makki, product marketing manager. Once the receive approval from the vehicle owner, the driver will notify the Uptime Center when the vehicle is parked and ready to receive the new software or calibration. Installation can take between five and 30 minutes depending on systems impacted, and the agent then confirms with both driver and owner that the download is completed. Volvo is launching the over-the-air service because up to 75% of updates are currently being ignored because of the downtime involved in bringing a truck into a shop, Makki said during a briefing at the annual Technology and Maintenance Council meeting. “Downtime for doing upgrades in a shop currently averages 2.3 days, and we estimate that a truck out of service costs a fleet about $1,100 a day in lost revenue,” he said. The periodic updates are important not only for correcting vehicle faults, but also for the improvements they bring in overall vehicle performance, Makki said. “Missing them can mean missing an opportunity to improve efficiency.” The Remote Programing service is a direct outgrowth of the integrated diagnostic telematics system Volvo introduced five years ago, a company spokesperson said. Future enhancements will include integration with other fleet management telematics services, he added.

Yes Tim, it will use Adblue.

Navistar Rising: A26 Engine Signals New Chapter Heavy Duty Trucking / February 27, 2017 When International President Bill Kozek came from Paccar in 2014 to right the ship at Navistar, he knew the situation was critical. And he knew the task before him was immense. In fact, many industry experts were ready to write off the truck and engine manufacturer. But he expressed confidence that the talent, the determination and the sheer stubbornness of Navistar’s employees would eventually win out. At the Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting Monday night, the company announced a completely new and thoroughly modern family of diesel engines that, in Kozek’s words, will allow Navistar to not only regain the ground it lost during the divisive EGR-SCR wars of the early 2000s, but to also stake a claim as a diesel engine technology leader at a time of tremendous change in the North American trucking industry. Leading International’s charge into the new, technological future is the A26 diesel engine – a wholly new powerplant, developed using the company’s also-new Project Alpha engine design program, a radically new diesel engine design philosophy. Project Alpha was initiated as a way to cast off old, stratified engine design thinking, and approach the concept of a modern, fuel-efficient diesel from a totally new perspective. Navistar’s new A26, 12.4-liter diesel engine is the first product of that program. "Project Alpha has fundamentally changed how we design diesel engines," Kozek said. "The International A26 has been designed to address the rigorous demands of Class 8 truck customers. It's been tested to extremes and meets a demanding B10 design life standard for an unprecedented 1.2 million miles." The new A26 is also a first glance at a new, but quickly growing collaboration between International and Volkswagen, which acquired a major stock-holding stake in the company last year. The A26 is based on the crankcase of a D26 engine from MAN – a German truck and engine manufacturer wholly owned by Volkswagen. According to Darren Gosbee, vice president of advanced engineering for International, the new A26 diesel engine produces up to 475 horsepower and 1,750 lb.-ft. of torque from a design that's 600-700 lbs. lighter than a traditional 15-liter, big bore engine. Additionally, he said, its components have been carefully engineered to deliver uncompromising uptime as well as class-leading fuel efficiency, reduced weight and quiet operation. "The A26 was designed from the ground up to deliver industry-leading uptime, durability and reliability," Gosbee said. "The A26 is as simple as a modern engine can be, and we've built uptime into every part of the development process, from design to calibration to testing." To achieve that goal, Gosbee said, every component on the A26 has been designed from the get-go to maximize uptime. This includes using a titanium compressor wheel with a simplified single-stage design, as well as a variable geometry turbocharger that reduces complexity and enhances reliability. Larger piston pins, connecting rods and bushings help optimize load distribution for enhanced durability, while smaller piston cooling jets increase oil pressure to improve lubrication, increasing oil change service intervals up to 70,000 miles. The A26 diesel tips the scales at 2,299 pounds, whicn Gosbee said makes it the lightest engine in its class, weighing in at 55 pounds lighter than the engine it replaces. That said, International engineers were able to leverage the company’s cutting edge compacted graphite iron (CGI) crankcase technology to ensure the A26 has greater strength and fatigue resistance than traditional gray iron. Gosbee said the engine’s composite valve covers and shot-peened aluminum flywheel housing help deliver impressive weight savings over more traditional engine block casting solutions. Taken as a whole, Gosbee added, the A26 is the most efficient engine ever offered in International's on-highway lineup. Thanks to a simplified air management system and a new variable geometry turbocharger, Gosbee says the A26 delivers a 5% fuel economy boost over International’s previous, comparable engine offering. Fuel injection pressure is maximized by the engine's 2,500 bar (36,300 psi) high-pressure common rail fuel system, which is coupled with new cylinder head coolant passages that are 50% less restrictive to reduce parasitic loss to the water pump, which allow the A26 to reduce both fuel consumption and emissions. Another design strongpoint Gosbee touted are the low sound levels emitted by the A26. “The A26's uniquely sculpted crankcase, which is isolated with the oil pan through a specially designed rubber gasket, absorbs vibration and reduces harshness for a quieter in-cab experience,” Gosbee said. “The engine's six-blade fan, specially designed gear teeth and sophisticated calibration and programming are specifically built to reduce engine noise.” According to International, the A26 is backed with the industry's best engine warranty: two years, unlimited miles. This warranty, Gosbee said, reflects confidence in the engine's reliability and durability, which have been confirmed through extensive validation and testing process. The A26 engine is available for order in the International LT Series of long-haul vehicles and RH Series of regional haul vehicles. .