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Scania Group Press Release / September 22, 2016 Scania’s new truck generation takes centre stage at the International Motor Show IAA. Scania’s President and CEO Henrik Henriksson was joined by Martin Sylvén (Head of long haulage trucks at Sales and Marketing) and Christian Levin (Head of Sales and Marketing) in Hannover to present Scania’s new truck generation. Henriksson began by affirming Scania’s strong market position and encouraging order book for the new generation trucks. Martin Sylvén then explained the premium quality of the new vehicle’s and recounted Scania’s 10 year road to success during the developmental phase. Christian Levin explained, in detail, the benefits of connectivity and Scania Maintenance. Quality, safety, sustainability and economy were all key touch points during the presentation. .

Fleet Owner / September 22, 2016 The truck, capable of driving itself, features several driver assistance systems for emergency maneuvering and braking as well as lane keeping. Greater safety and improved efficiency through automated driving are mobility “megatrends” that are in the view of one global OEM “increasingly relevant” to the commercial vehicle industry. That’s why global component maker ZF is showcasing its Innovation Truck 2016 at the IAA show in Hannover this week. With the vision of accident-free driving or “Vision Zero,” ZF said it is working on “enhancing” current driver assistance technologies for “practical” roadway use, such as highway driving assist (HDA), which helps to keep the vehicle in its lane, and an evasive maneuver assist (EMA), which allows a truck to independently evade obstacles and apply the brakes. EMA is particularly useful in detecting hazards occurring at the “tail end” of a traffic jam on the freeway where, if a truck driver fails to see stopped traffic in time, the outcome could be fatal, ZF said. In this situation the EMA system takes control – detecting whether advanced emergency braking (AEB) or driver-initiated braking is sufficient to stop the vehicle before hitting an obstacle. If braking alone is insufficient to avoid a rear-end collision, the EMA system engages – analyzing information from cameras and laser sensors, using the package’s “ReAX “active electric power steering, and the service brakes, to prevent a crash. ZF stressed, however, that the EMA system relies on a “cascade of warnings” to keep the driver involved, allowing them to override it at any time. ZF noted that it developed EMA in cooperation with WABCO. HDA is designed to keep a tractor-trailer in its lane and effectively helps protect drivers from the often very severe consequences resulting from lack of attention, distraction or a few seconds of “micro-sleep.” The system not only warns the driver that the semi-trailer truck is unintentionally moving out of its lane, it also actively and independently keeps the truck in the lane. At the same time, it automatically maintains a safe distance from the vehicles in front at any speed, also including stop-and-go functionality. The company noted that its Innovation Truck 2016 also boasts the ability to maneuver itself via an autonomous system it calls “SafeRange,” allowing the vehicle to autonomously align itself with loading bays. ZF stressed that the SafeRange maneuvering system also boosts efficiency at the truck terminal, while preventing collisions that can occur during maneuvering – collisions that can result in costly vehicle damage and downtime, while additionally increasing loading and unloading times. . .

Fleet Owner / September 22, 2016 With North American Class 6-8 truck sales already off 10% compared to 2015, they could fall by as much as 15% for the entire year, according to Wolfgang Bernhard, head of Daimler Trucks. “We see a real slowdown for the end of the year in the U.S.,” he said at a press conference during the IAA 2016 commercial vehicle show. Factors behind the slowdown are “hard to tell,” Bernhard said. “Freight rates and utilization are OK, and customers are interested [in buying new trucks], but there’s just a little hesitation that might be solved after the election and any uncertainty about the economy ends.” Most of that decline is in Class 8 with medium-duty truck sales fairly level from 2015, according to Kary Schaefer, Daimler Trucks North American GM of marketing and strategy. As for 2017 sales, Bernhard said, “It’s hard to see what will happen next year – I’m having trouble seeing what will happen in the end of this year.” Truck sales in Europe are moving the the exact opposite direction. Calling the first half of 2016 “robust, especially in Germany,” Bernhard believes Class 6 to 8 numbers could end the year as much as 17% above 2015. Echoing that view of the European truck market was Preston Feight, who was recently appointed president of Paccar’s European DAF Trucks after serving as general manager of Kenworth Trucks. Class 8 sales in Europe should end the year at 280,000 to 300,000 units, making it the best truck sales year since 2008, he told Fleet Owner. Feight credits “solid economic fundamentals” and substantial efficiency gains from new truck technology as the driving forces in the strong European sales.

Fleet Owner / September 23, 2016 Remote diagnostics, integrated engine braking, innovative waste heat recovery systems among advanced technologies showcased at IAA commercial vehicle show A transmission software update that can automate docking and remote diagnostics were among the advanced technologies showcased by Eaton’s Vehicle Group at the IAA 2016 commercial vehicle show. The company also put on display a new heavy-duty engine braking system that is integrated into the existing valve train and a waste heat recovery system now under development that it says could potentially improve diesel engine fuel efficiency by 20% while also reducing NOx. Retrofitable to existing Eaton automated mechanical transmissions (AMTs) as a software update to the control module, Dock Assist automatically navigates the final few feet backing into a loading platform when activated by the driver via a switch. It requires no additional sensors, instead detecting the dock when torque increases as the vehicle touches the platform, according to Larry Bennett, chief engineer for the vehicle group. The system, which is currently being demonstrated with Eaton’s Procision medium-duty AMT, works with or without a trailer. Development is also underway to extend automated docking to full maneuvering in a terminal and into an assigned dock without any driver intervention. Already in the prototype stage, this technology would allow a driver to leave their vehicle in a terminal where it would autonomously self-park, according to Bennett. Both docking features are part of what Eaton is calling the Advanced Driver Assist System. Future development could extend it to platooning and autonomous stop-and-go in heavy traffic, he said. Announced at IAA and available through Omnitracs telematics services, IntelliConnect Remote Diagnostics offers real-time monitoring of Eaton AMT fault code. It can also send diagnostic data through Navistar’s OnCommand portal or through a new dedicated Eaton portal, according to Bennett. It is seen as the first module in what Bennet says will be a suite of IntelliConnect products that could eventually even provide real-time remote control of vehicle shift management. Building on variable valve timing technology it has developed for gasoline passenger car applications, Eaton also demonstrated a decompression brake for heavy-duty diesels that it says can provider higher braking performance at lower engine speeds. It can be integrated into a standard valve train assembly, allowing for reduced overall engine packaging while also reducing compression braking noise, according to Bennett. Systems to recover engine waste heat are seen an potentially important components as engine manufacturers look for ways to meet the next phase of Federally maindated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions. At IAA, Eaton showed one such system it has under development in conjunction with Paccar, Shell Oil and the U.S. Dept. of Energy. It combines supercharger rotors placed directly into the exhaust stream with devices that convert that energy into electric power. Not only could that power be used to run vehicle accessories, but it could also power an electrically assisted variable speed supercharger on the intake. Precise control of both intake and exhaust flows with such a system could reduce fuel consumption by up to 20% while also substantially reducing NOx emissions during engine start up, Bennett said.

Fleet Owner / September 23, 2016 Thermo King showcased new innovations for refrigerated transport at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hannover, Germany. “Innovation goes beyond simply creating new products,” said Karin De Bondt, vice president and general manager for Truck, Trailer and Bus at Thermo King in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). “It is about addressing unique customer needs through connectivity, data-driven intelligence, real-user insights, and the ability to merge new and emerging technologies later based upon customer needs.Today at the IAA, Thermo King is introducing a series of truck and trailer solutions including the new SLXi single- and multi-temperature trailer refrigeration platform designed to answer today’s demands for fuel efficiency, intelligence, connectivity and sustainability.” New products showcased include: SLXi Platform of Trailer Refrigeration Units: Offer up to 20% fuel savings and telematics as standard. The SLXi platform of single- and multi-temperature trailer refrigeration units were developed with an expanded focus on the unit’s intelligence, communication capabilities, fuel consumption and temperature management. Units offer enhanced temperature control thanks to the SR-3 Controller, both set point control and temperature displays provide accuracy in increments of 0.1 degrees Celsius. In multi-temperature models, Precision Temperature Control (PTC) reduces temperature deviation by 80 percent over previous technology and, dependent on operating conditions, will maintain compartment temperature within about 0.15 degrees Celsius. PTC provides an automatic pre-set of the capacity modulation and the temperature control to secure an optimum environment in the center and rear trailer compartments. In addition, annual CO2 emissions of the SLXi have been cut by 2.4 tons and NOx exhaust emissions reduced by 15 percent compared to its predecessor and R-452A refrigerant lowers the global warming potential (GWP) approximately by half compared to the incumbent R-404A. Thermo King hybrid concept: Presented for the first time at IAA 2016, the new Hybrid Drive Trailer concept combines technologies from both Thermo King and FRIGOBLOCK and will become part of the SLXi refrigerated trailer platform. The Hybrid Drive Trailer concept offers additional fuel and operational savings, as well as low emission and noise levels enabling transport companies access to inner city areas and restricted zones. “The Thermo King Hybrid Drive allows a refrigerated semi-trailer attached to a tractor with a FRIGOBLOCK Enviro Drive inverter filter to run electrically. This enables the trailer refrigeration unit to be powered as a hybrid drive, by either the electric alternator or through its own independent diesel engine,” the company said. “FRIGOBLOCK and Celtrak technologies have broadened Thermo King’s industry-leading research and development capabilities by adding complimentary technology in areas such as hybrid, non-diesel, and operational intelligence solutions,” De Bondt said. “These capabilities, combined with Thermo King’s proven track record of dependable, industry-leading technology, have accelerated new innovations that meet and adapt to unique customer needs and provide sustainable solutions for the refrigerated transport sector.“ UT Spectrum: the UT-Series multi-temperature truck unit is designed to meet the needs of urban distributers who require multiple temperature zones, the new UT Spectrum unit extends the range of the UT-Series platform of products. The UT-Series offers under-mount refrigeration units for truck and drawbar trailer applications.

Transport Topics / September 23, 2016 MAN SE, the German truck-making arm of Volkswagen AG, plans to cut 1,400 jobs at its diesel-engine unit in an attempt to reverse a drop in earnings in that division. Efficiency measures, including restructuring three businesses so they share more costs, are targeted at boosting profit by 450 million euros ($505 million), Augsburg-based MAN Diesel & Turbo said Sept. 23 in a statement. Steam-turbine manufacturing will be halted in Hamburg, which will become the site of an after-sales service center, and be focused instead in Oberhausen, Germany, and Bengaluru, India. A compressor factory in Berlin will switch to making turbomachinery components. “Our analyses show that we have to be able to adapt to a continuously demanding market environment,” said Uwe Lauber, head of MAN Diesel & Turbo. “The turbomachinery business is facing particular challenges” with orders expected to remain “at their current low level also in the coming years.” Volkswagen is putting pressure on all its businesses to reduce spending as the car division grapples with the cost of resolving its year-old diesel-emissions cheating scandal as well as preparations for adapting new electric-power and digital technologies. While first-half earnings jumped at Munich-based MAN’s truck unit, profit fell at the diesel and turbine business, whose products include ship engines and power plants, as vessel builders scaled back production amid contractions in the oil and freight industries. The MAN Diesel & Turbo workforce reductions include about 1,000 positions in Germany, the IG Metall labor union said separately. The division has 14,300 employees worldwide, including 7,300 in its home country, the union said.

Getting a handle on hydraulic hybrid drivetrains Jack Roberts, Fleet Owner / September 23, 2016 It's funny how in the age of social media and near-instant communication you rarely get a real, live, letter any more. But that's exactly what happened on the heels of my recent Fleet Owner blog, when I noted that electric hybrid drive systems would, in all likelihood, be a part of the OEM formula for meeting Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG 2) regulations when they come into law a decade from now. A letter from Lightning Hybrids CEO Tim Reeser noted that diesel-electric hybrids aren't the only option available to OEMs wrestling with GHG 2 powertrain requirements. Hydraulic-electric hybrid drivetrains also offer a significant low-end torque boost, to help trucks get up and moving more efficiently and burning less fuel in the process. And Mr. Reeser is correct: I've been covering heavy trucks now for over 20 years. And all that time, I've never had the opportunity to test-drive a hydraulic hybrid drivetrain, or even inspect one up close. So I called Mr. Reeser to get a bit of a primer on these systems, which are already making inroads in refuse applications, due to the stop-and-start nature of that application. Reeser told me that his company's system, is a relatively simple way of converting kinetic energy generated when a truck brakes into hydraulic energy, which is then released and used to provide extra torque when the truck gets under way again. Here is a brief explanatory video from Lightning Hybrids: . . The system can be installed on a truck as an upfit, or retrofitted to older vehicles. (The company is currently in discussions with OEMs regrading offering it as an option on new vehicles.) The system consists of an dedicated, auxiliary hydraulic system, including a low-pressure holding tank, a high-pressure accumulator tank, a power transfer module, as well as an electronic control module and other components. When the truck is moving down the road, the hydraulic fluid remains in the low-pressure storage tank until the vehicle's brakes are applied. At that point, the system uses the kinetic energy generated by the brakes to force the hydraulic fluid into the high-pressure accumulator tank, where it is stored until needed. When the brakes are released, the system's ECM reads all pertinent information off the vehicle's J1939 ECM, including throttle position, horsepower, torque, speed and other vital data, and immediately releases the hydraulic fluid at high pressure, where it flows into the system's power transfer module. This module is linked directly to the truck's transmission via a second driveshaft, where this additional torque is delivered directly to the drive axle, providing a significant low-end performance boost to the accelerating truck. Reeser says battery capacity on electric hybrids limit the system's energy density to around 30 percent. But, he says, hydraulic hybrids capture close to 80 percent of the hydraulic fluid's energy density, resulting in a robust start-assist, which, he says, can yield fuel economy benefits from 15- to 35 percent for fleets – depending on application. He notes that early hydraulic hybrid systems were much heavier and less reliable than systems available today. The industry has been able to leverage carbon fiber technology breakthroughs in natural gas fuel storage to develop new tanks and accumulators that weigh up to 1,000 pounds less than older systems. And recent advances in on-board vehicle control modules -- and his company's ability to tap effectively into those systems -- has resulted in consistently reliable, seamless performance for fleets and drivers alike. For now, Reeser says Lightning Hybrids is beginning to work more closely with OEMs now that a clear GHG 2 pathway is visible, while also continuing to refine the technology. The results, he says, are promising, with next generation systems already 39 percent more efficient then their predecessors and costs steadily coming down to the point where he feels a 3 year return-on-investment for fleets will be feasible. As I noted previously, it seems likely that hybrid drive systems will be an important tool to help OEMs meet GHG 2 regulations when they come into effect a decade from now. And although the public at large – and this writer – tend to think of electric systems when hybrids are mentioned, it's important to remember that hydraulic hybrids hold great promise as well for reducing emissions while boosting fuel economy in heavy truck applications.

Fleet Owner / September 26, 2016 At the 66th IAA Commercial Vehicles trade fair, Bosch is presenting a 40-ton smart device in the form of a truck tractor – all part of its VisionX concept study on the future of commercial vehicles. “Connected, electrified, and automated – that’s the future of trucks. And that’s what Bosch has encapsulated in VisionX,” said Markus Heyn, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH. “One of the many technologies envisaged in VisionX is platooning. Besides making life easier for drivers on long journeys, this also represents a significant safety improvement. What’s more, platooning offers a major boost to transport efficiency.” In the future, multiple assistance systems will combine with automation to make trucks safer and more reliable – almost as if they were on rails, the company added. Vehicles will receive their in real time from the Bosch IoT Cloud, including information on their route, traffic congestion, detours, and the unloading facilities available at their destination. “Connected and automated trucks are the future, and we are looking to play a major part in their development,” Heyn said. “Once the truck joins a convoy on the freeway, drivers can start planning their next route while still remaining in complete control. They can access all key information on the screens in their cab and take the wheel if they need to. Connected and automated trucks are the future, and we are looking to play a major part in their development.” The Bosch VisionX concept study takes the diesel engine – which is particularly economical in the world of heavy goods transport – and combines it with electric motors for auxiliary systems such as the hydraulic pump, according to the company. “In a convoy, you can combine the safety gains of automated driving with the efficiency boost that is so crucial to the commercial vehicle sector,” Heyn explained. “Slipstream driving enables fuel savings of up to 10 percent. That’s a strong argument in the commercial vehicle industry.” “Perfectly connected like a smart device, the truck of the future will become a key component of international logistics processes,” Heyn added. “Bosch’s new systems will make drivers’ lives easier in many ways – from accepting shipping documents and loading the truck, to carrying out automated maneuvers once the truck arrives at its destination. By accessing the Bosch IoT Cloud, hauliers and customers will be able to track where the truck and its cargo are located at any point in time. What’s more, drivers will be able to find and reserve parking spaces along the route, making the journey less stressful.” .

Transport Topics / September 26, 2016 U.S. Taxpayers foot truckmaker’s R&D costs for new postal vehicles The U.S. Postal Service awarded contracts to six companies to produce prototype vehicles as part of a program to replace aging mail delivery trucks with vehicles that are better suited to carrying packages and that utilize alternative fuels. AM General, Karsan Pazalama A.S., Mahindra Group, Oshkosh Corp., Spartan Motors and VT Hackney will receive a total of $37.4 million to produce 50 prototypes over the next year. The vehicles will then be tested in a different climates, topography, population centers and delivery environments, a Postal Service spokesman said. Also, the Postal Service said it will seek bids for commercial off-the-shelf right-hand drive delivery vehicles and evaluate those vehicles alongside the prototypes to determine the type of vehicle best suited to replace nearly 180,000 mail trucks in the postal fleet.

Fleet Owner / September 22, 2016 Investment will 'create opportunities that didn’t exist six months ago.' As soon as Volkswagen Truck and Bus' investment deal in Navistar closes, teams from both companies "will sit down to go through the product portfolios of both from A to Z," according to Troy Clark, Navistar president and CEO. Speaking at a joint press conference with VW Truck & Bus head Andreas Renschler at IAA 2016 in Hannover, Germany, Clarke said: "It's in our best interests to see how quickly we can align ourselves to take things to the next level." While VW's experience with its MAN and Scania truck businesses will offer new aftertreatment and transmission expertise to Navistar, "we know this doesn't solve all of our problems," Clarke said. "But it does create opportunities that didn't exist six months ago." As part of its normal development cycle, VW's truck group is working on a new integrated platform that should reach the market by 2020 or 2021, according to Renschler. With the new Navistar relationship, “we will take [Navistar’s needs] into consideration in this development,” he said. Complimenting Navistar for continuing new truck development despite financial problems, Renschler added, "and now we can bring powertrain technology." Advanced connectivity technologies and electronics would also be an important VW resource for Navistar, he said. Clarke pointed out that partnering has long been part of Navistar's approach to filling its product lineup such as its ongoing development of a new Class 4/5 truck with General Motors. "But if a component isn't available, we'll look at ways to develop it ourselves, and VW comes with a big shelf with a lot of technologies that have been well thought out," he noted. While the North American truck market is forecast to drop below current sales levels in 2017, "we'll be really well positioned with new products when the market picks up in 2018," Clarke said. .

Fleet Owner / September 23, 2016 With new advances in battery technology, Daimler sees bright future for urban EV delivery trucks. Once skeptical about the practicality of electric-powered commercial vehicles, Daimler Trucks is now planning to bring the Fuso eCanter to the U.S. market next year and to follow with production of electric light trucks from its van group by 2018. “Ten years ago I saw no market for e-trucks,” said Daimler Truck head Wolfgang Bernhard during a press conference at the IAA 2016 commercial vehicle show. “What happened? Battery technology has change drastically driven by the cellphone industry. There’s been a 2½-fold increase in performance and 2½-fold decrease in cost.” Still unconvinced that there are long-haul e-trucks in the near future, Bernhard now believes the technology has reached the tipping point for urban delivery applications. And while longer average route differences and less urban density in the U.S. are challenging for EVs, he said significant customer demand exists, so the company will begin limited sales of its eCanter here next year with broader availability in 2018 and even possible local production. The electric truck will have the same horsepower and torque as the diesel Cantor, as well as the same 7,500-lb. GVW. Payload will be around 4.6 tons depending on the number of batteries installed. Both mechanical and electric PTS’s will be available for refrigeration units and other powered accessories. Daimler also used IAA to showcase two all-electric concept vehicles – a heavy-duty Urban eTruck and a package delivery Vision Van – as well as announced a commitment from the Daimler Van group to begin series production of an electric commercial van by 2018. American fleet interest in buying e-trucks is “very high, even higher than in Japan,” according to Marc Llistosello, head of Daimler Trucks Asia and the Fuso brand. The traditional barriers to adoption have been limited range and fast-charging infrastructure as well as initial cost, he said at a press conference during IAA. He believes the eCanter and some new support programs address those issues. Battery advances give this new generation electric Canter a range of 100 km when it’s equipped with five modular battery packs, and work is ongoing to extend that to 150 km, Llistello said. And customers can choose to fit the truck with as few as three battery packs or as many as six depending on their range and payload needs. As for pricing, Fuso says there will be a two- to three-year ROI on the price premium over a diesel powered Canter. The company also plans to address residual value concerns by leasing the battery packs separately and replacing them with new, presumably more advance batteries every two or three years. While every eCanter will come with an AC charging system, the 12 hours required to fully recharge the vehicle won’t suit fleets that don’t park trucks overnight. Faster DC “superchargers” reduce that time to around an hour, but cost considerably more to install. So Fuso expects to help subsidize the building of that infrastructure with other willing partners in a few markets where there is enough density to warrant it, according to Llistosello. He indicated that California would be a logical location for a supercharging network. The eCanter will be introduced next year simultaneously in the U.S., Japan and Germany with a soft launch and “small-scale production,” Llistosello said. .

Daimler AG Press Release / September 21, 2016 BharatBenz 3723R: five-axle rigid truck from India Fuso TV-R: heavy-duty tractor unit for export markets from India Fuso FV Super Great V Spider: multi-function work machine from Japan Mercedes-Benz school bus: fully equipped bus for emerging economies from India Freightliner Inspiration Truck: autonomous truck from the USA Western Star WS 5700XE: truck dreams come true – from the USA Over half a million trucks and more than 28 000 buses and chassis units a year – Daimler delivers impressive proof of its position as the world's leading manufacturer of trucks and buses. With its brands Mercedes-Benz, BharatBenz, Freightliner, Fuso, Thomas Built Buses, Western Star and Setra, Daimler meets the wishes of freight and passenger transport operators on every continent. The successful strategy is based on three pillars: technology leadership, global presence and intelligent platforms. The result is a worldwide footprint accompanied by tailor-made regional offerings. Trucks and Buses for the World – this is the slogan under which Daimler will show a representative selection of its vehicles for every continent at the IAA. BharatBenz 3723R: five-axle rigid truck from India The Indian brand BharatBenz is an example of Daimler's global dynamism. Since the sales launch four years ago, well over 40 000 heavy-duty and medium-duty BharatBenz trucks have been supplied to customers. The young brand's trucks play an important role not just in India, but also in the development of many other growth markets. At the IAA, Daimler is presenting the BharatBenz 3723R, a five-axle rigid truck with platform body for a permissible gross vehicle weight of 37.0 t. The right-hand drive cab-over-engine truck is powered by major assemblies that are also very familiar in Europe. One example is the compact in-line six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz OM 906 engine with 6.4 l displacement and 175 kW (238 hp) output rating, the components of which are largely produced locally in India and assembled at DICV's Oragadam plant near Chennai. The engine is available in Euro III and Euro IV versions (for the Indian market) and in a Euro V version (for export variants). There is also the Mercedes-Benz G 131 nine-speed manual transmission. The chassis features parabolic springs on the front axles, while the driven axle comes with air suspension and the two other rear axles are equipped with semi-elliptic leaf springs. The almost 11.4 m long rigid truck can be used in modular fashion with a wide range of different swap bodies. The vehicle on display has a 28 foot or 8.4 m long platform body with dropsides almost one metre high. Fuso TV-R: heavy-duty tractor unit for export markets from India The Japanese brand Fuso is globally active and, producing over 150 000 vehicles a year, is a key pillar of Daimler Trucks. The range includes trucks and buses in all size and weight classes. In Western Europe, Fuso is known mainly for its Canter light-duty truck, which is made in Portugal. Fuso's heavy-duty trucks are also marketed in many parts of the world. The latest example is the Fuso TV-R, also known as the 4043 S, from DICV's Oragadam plant near Chennai. Kenya was the first market in which it was launched, in August 2016, and it is now gradually being introduced in further Fuso growth markets. The new three-axle tractor unit for long-distance haulage is designed for a gross combination weight of up to 100 t. The vehicle on show at the IAA is a left-hand drive model. Beneath its high-roof cab is the world's best-known in-line six-cylinder engine, the Mercedes-Benz OM 457, here in a 315 kW (428 hp), Euro V version. The power is transmitted to the two driven rear axles by the 12-speed Mercedes PowerShift transmission G 330. The muscular looks are enhanced by mighty wheels with size 12.00 R 24 tyres. These enable the Fuso TV-R to tackle challenging terrain as well. Fuso FV Super Great V Spider: multi-function work machine from Japan This is a mobile multi-function work machine of XXL format: the Fuso Super Great V Spider concept vehicle breaks the mould of conventional utility vehicles. Mounted behind the right-hand drive cab of the three-axle rigid truck from Japan are four arms equipped with different tools. These enable the Spider to drill, grab, chop and excavate as an extremely versatile construction vehicle. Four extendable support legs keep the truck horizontal during such work. The vehicle is powered by the Fuso 6R10 (T8) six-cylinder in-line engine with a 12.8 l displacement, an output of 338 kW (460 hp) and a plentiful torque of 2500 Nm. Experts will note that the engine is closely related to the European Mercedes-Benz OM 471 and the American Detroit DD 13. Appropriately configured, the fully automated Fuso Inomat II 12-speed transmission, too, is known elsewhere as the Mercedes PowerShift. Mercedes-Benz school bus: fully equipped bus for emerging economies from India The collaboration between Daimler Buses and bodybuilder Wright Bus in India is bearing further fruit: the launch with fully equipped touring coaches under the Mercedes-Benz brand is now followed by the appearance of a rugged school bus for emerging economies in the Middle East. It is available as a complete vehicle as an alternative to the chassis that have been offered to date. The 9.1 m long school bus is based on the Mercedes-Benz OF 917 RF C front-engined chassis with rugged truck technology. The 3.9 l four-cylinder engine produces 125 kW (170 hp) and is optionally available in either Euro III or Euro IV, depending on the market and regional requirements. The school bus comes with 17.5-inch wheels, parabolic springs on both axles and anti-lock braking system. The modern and pleasingly styled body with large destination indicator above the high windscreen is based on a lightweight aluminium frame. The functional interior of the left-hand drive school bus on view at the IAA offers accommodation for 35 passengers in individual seats with seat belts. The passenger compartment is enhanced by luggage shelves and an air conditioning system. Freightliner Inspiration Truck: autonomous truck from the USA It was the world's first self-driving truck with approval for use on the roads – and Daimler is now bringing it to Europe: the Freightliner Inspiration Truck represents a milestone in the history of the truck. The technology behind the Highway Pilot with radar system, stereo camera and tried-and-tested assistance systems is based on the Mercedes-Benz Future Truck and has been configured for use on American highways. The base vehicle for the Freightliner Inspiration Truck is the Freightliner Cascadia Evolution. The three-axle cab-behind-engine tractor unit impresses with such features as its aerodynamic shape and spacious sleeper behind the actual cab. Its equipment specification resembles more a one-room apartment than a sleeper compartment. The Cascadia Evolution has an integrated drivetrain. The long bonnet houses a Detroit DD 15 14.8 l six-cylinder in-line engine rated at 294 kW (400 hp). The fully automated Detroit DR 12-DA transmission, like the engine, is closely related to its European counterparts. The axles, too, originate from the modular system of Daimler's US subsidiary Detroit. Freightliner is the North American success story of Daimler Trucks. Thanks to Freightliner and the Western Star brand, Daimler achieved a share of around 39 percent of the North American market for heavy-duty trucks last year and thus defended its undisputed number one position. Western Star WS 5700XE: truck dreams come true – from the USA The mighty trucks of the US brand Western Star make the dream of the "American Way of Drive" a reality. As made clear by the muscular radiator grille and ample chrome trim, the Western Star 5700XE is a special truck even by North American standards. It unites impressive looks with high efficiency and the character of an indefatigable workhorse with the comfort of the spacious sleeper behind the cab. As impressive as the 5700XE looks, the walls of the sleeper consist of a lightweight honeycomb structure. Western Star is the brand for successful owner-operators, independent long-distance truckers, most of whom now opt for a Western Star with an integrated drivetrain from Daimler's Detroit subsidiary: engine, transmission and axle are from a single source and perfectly matched to each other. This applies to the 12.8 l DD 13 in-line six-cylinder engine rated at 257 kW to 371 kW (350 hp to 505 hp) or, alternatively, the 14.8 l DD 15 rated at 294 kW to 371 kW (400 hp to 505 hp) or the 15.6 l DD 16 rated at 368 kW to 441 kW (500 hp to 600 hp), the fully automated DT 12 12-speed transmission and the axles in 6x2 and 6x4 configurations. And it is no coincidence that many of the same components are similarly used in Daimler Trucks' European and Asian brands.

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Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / September 20, 2016 During a press event on the eve of the IAA 2016 commercial vehicle show in Hannover, Germany, Daimler Trucks showcased its future urban transportation strategy with the unveiling the Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck and Mercedes-Benz Future Bus concepts, as well as a demonstration of its previously announced Mercedes-Benz Vision Van. “By 2050, cities will be home to more than 70 percent of the world’s population, and more urban transportation is required- for goods and for people,” said Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, head of Daimler Trucks & Buses. “This creates challenges regarding emissions, noise, infrastructure and congestion. We are developing vehicles of a completely new kind.” World’s first electric truck After introducing its electric drivetrain concept in July, Daimler completed the picture with the introduction of the Urban eTruck, an all-new electric truck concept for short-radius, zero-emissions goods distribution. The eTruck has a 200-km range on a single charge and has payload capacity up to 12.8 tons. According to Sven Ennerst, Daimler’s head of project engineering, the eTruck’s lithium ion batteries can recharge within two hours. At the heart of the Urban eTruck is Intelligent Range Management, a system that allows the driver and fleet manager to optimize delivery routes by monitoring the vehicle’s real-time data, traffic conditions, and other data from Daimler’s existing FleetBoard telematics service, which now connects to the drivetrain. When the dispatcher sets up route for delivery, all details go into IRM, which predicts energy needed and suggest the optimal driving mode. The driver has two 12-inch screens on the console. The primary screen provides data such as vehicle speed, speed limits, and real-time data on the actual battery status compared to the IRM’s predicted range at that point in the route. “This pair of scales is a powerful tool because it builds trust,” says Ennerst. “We want to provide absolute certainty to the driver that he can reach destination as planned.” If something unexpected happens, such as a traffic jam, the IRM saves energy by changing the driving mode or scheduling a charging period at a delivery point along the route. The eTruck takes design cues from the Mercedes-Benz Antos cabover, but the electric drive eliminates the need for a conventional air inlet, which is replaced by a LED-backlit black panel grille capable of displaying battery charge status, truck operating status and more. The eTruck’s low-floor axle has liquid-cooled, high-speed asynchronous three-phase motors on each side with as much as 11,000 Nm, providing what Daimler says is diesel truck-like driving dynamics. The Urban eTruck also has smart technology to optimize power consumption. “We are thinking beyond hardware and how to connect the truck to the grid,” said Bernhard. “Our new truck-to-grid management provides customers that would have multiple eTrucks with an optimized charging strategy or even earn money by allowing stationary vehicles to provide energy services that can generate income.” Future Bus is built on Daimler’s Highway Pilot The semi-autonomous Mercedes-Benz Future Bus relies on Daimler’s CityPilot system, which was built on the foundation of the 2015-announced Highway Pilot autonomous driving system but adds additional functions to communicate with traffic lights, traffic flow patterns and pedestrians. The Future Bus was developed on the existing Mercedes-Benz Citaro platform. The CityPilot system uses more than 10 cameras to scan the road and surroundings to provide a precise picture so the bus can operate safely in urban environments. If wireless connection to traffic lights is interrupted, the system reverts to cameras for visual recognition. The Future Bus interior features a completely reimagined open-area transit experience for passengers, including a lounge at the back of the bus for longer journeys in what Daimler refers to as an urban living space. “Operators gain from lower total cost of ownership thanks to improved fuel efficiency,” said Harmut Shick, head of Daimler Buses. “Passengers will be safer and more comfortable and arrive on time. Drivers will experience less strain.” While the Future Bus is in concept stage, Daimler already announced it will launch an all-electric bus by 2018 based on Mercedes-Benz Citaro. “Our focus is to make it ready for serious production and to offer a product that makes a valid business case for customers,” added Schick. Photo gallery - http://www.ccjdigital.com/daimler-reimagines-urban-transportation-with-new-truck-van-and-bus-concepts/ .

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Car & Driver / September 2016 Enter the term “2017 Ford F-150” into Google's search engine, and we bet that, by the time you type the second F, the search bar will autocomplete your query to “2017 Ford F-150 Raptor.” Well, if your internet history includes a heavy focus on cars, as ours does, it might. Even if the world’s biggest search engine seems to be eagerly anticipating that high-performance off-road truck as much as we are, there’s a little bit of Raptor to look forward to in the regular 2017 F-150, because the Raptor’s new 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 and 10-speed automatic transmission are headed for the latter’s option sheet. More Gears, Even More Power! On a macro level, the ’17 F-150 is the same as the ’16 model, which means the new EcoBoost powertrain is the headline news for the nameplate. The new EcoBoost V-6 replaces the first-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, which has been optional throughout the F-150 lineup since 2011. With “only” 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, the pedestrian-duty F-150’s EcoBoost represents the lower state of tune for this engine. We’re still waiting on final power figures for the Raptor, but it’s guaranteed to have far more than 400 horsepower. Everything’s relative, though, and even the regular-grade 3.5 is certifiably meaty, edging out its predecessor by 10 horsepower and 50 lb-ft of torque. Ford calls this EcoBoost “all new,” and indeed it carries over only the old engine’s bore center dimension, piston displacement, and cylinder liners. The block is new, the turbos are new, the cooling system (which features new flow paths and a higher-volume, higher-rate water pump) is new, and the fuel-delivery system now employs both direct and port injectors for improved emissions and more power. The engine comes paired exclusively with a 10-speed automatic transmission co-developed with General Motors. The unit cleverly packs its six clutches and four planetary gearsets into a package barely larger and heavier than the six-speed it replaces, and its ratios and internals are shared with the General Motors version. The bellhousing is, of course, unique to Ford—no, you can’t bolt the Camaro ZL1’s 10-speed automatic to an EcoBoost, even though their inner bits are identical—as are the transmission software and shift strategy. The 10-speed’s ratio spread, at 7.4, is wider than the six-speed’s, but not by much. First gear is shorter than its six-speed equivalent, and 10th gear is slightly taller than the old automatic’s sixth. The arrangement promises quicker off-the-line acceleration and slightly lower engine revs at highway speeds. As before, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost is the de facto top-dog engine in the F-150 lineup, packing far more peak torque (an additional 83 lb-ft) than the 5.0-liter V-8. Like the V-8, the base 285-hp 3.5-liter V-6 and the mid-level 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 EcoBoost both go unchanged for 2017 and keep the six-speed automatic. Perhaps More Eco, Definitely More Boost We really liked the F-150’s previous combination of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost and the six-speed automatic. The powertrain provides plenty of thrust and is nicely polished, which was enough for us to give it a win in a recent two-truck comparison test with the V-8–powered F-150. That EcoBoost proved quicker than the V-8, more comfortable towing, and smoother in operation—but, crucially, it was more “boost” than “eco.” The other 3.5-liter EcoBoost F-150s we’ve tested failed to post appreciably better fuel-economy numbers than their eight-cylinder counterparts, despite higher EPA figures. Final EPA estimates for the new engine are forthcoming, but as before, they should be higher than the V-8 model’s. Ford can claim up and down that its EcoBoost offers the best of both worlds—fuel economy (eco!) and power (boost!)—but even with the efficiency-boosting measures applied to the new 3.5-liter EcoBoost, we predict the 10-speed automatic will do the heavy lifting when it comes to improving the truck’s EPA ratings. Credit the 10-speed’s smaller steps between gear ratios, which help keep engine speeds low more of the time. Step onto the F-150’s gas pedal lightly, and you can easily accelerate at a normal rate (i.e., not holding up traffic) without the engine breaking 3000 rpm. This is key, because the six-speed’s wider gaps between gear ratios encouraged higher revs from the old EcoBoost to build speed, thus keeping its turbochargers “in the boost” more of the time. The 10-speed, on the other hand, makes it easier to avoid dipping too far into the throttle in normal driving, which should improve the EcoBoost’s real-world fuel economy. Don’t underestimate extra power, though. As one Ford engineer put it, the additional 50 lb-ft of maximum torque is great for foot-to-the-floor drag racing or towing, but it also means there’s more off-peak torque at the lower engine speeds where many drivers spend most of their time. Should you want to poke a stick in the EcoBoost, though, the transmission is game to help provide maximum thrust. Floor the accelerator, and the transmission clicks off clean, firm shifts about 400 rpm shy of the indicated redline. We’re told that torque falls off precipitously between about 5300 rpm and the 5750-rpm fuel cutoff, so Ford programmed the transmission to short-shift and keep the engine on boil. As for the engine itself, it feels pretty much exactly like the outgoing 3.5-liter EcoBoost, with more punch. You Can’t Have Too Many Gears Clever software tuning keeps the transmission’s multitude of gears from feeling busy or shift crazed. In part-throttle acceleration, the computer skips gears, typically starting in first before jumping to third, then fifth, and then going quickly gear to gear (sixth, seventh, eighth, etc.) as the driver eases off the gas pedal upon reaching the desired road speed. The same thinking applies to downshifts, with the transmission taking greater leaps—say, from 10th to eighth to fifth to third to first—rather than shuffling through every gear as the vehicle slows to a stop. This alleviates the juddering sensation common in other mega-gear-plus transmissions that try to keep pace with the driver’s braking when downshifting sequentially through lower gears. There are really only two scenarios during which the 10-speed will shift sequentially, and they couldn’t be more different. The first is during wide-open-throttle events, from a standstill to top speed, where the transmission winds out each gear all the way. The second is, essentially, the EPA’s fuel-economy test cycle. To replicate this kind of throttle input in the real world, you’d need to place an eggshell between your foot and the gas pedal—and then attempt to accelerate the F-150 without breaking that shell. We only explored the full-throttle method. For the ever-critical towing aspect of trucking, the 10-speed doesn’t disappoint. We drove a 2017 F-150—with a big dual-axle trailer that Ford claimed amounted to 9900 pounds of ballast—back to back with a 2016 model with the same load. Although we can’t speak to the V-6’s power advantage over its predecessor, the 10-speed holds a clear edge. Its extra ratios afford more options when downshifting, such as when descending a steep grade, and the shifts are even rev matched in Tow/Haul mode for maximum smoothness. The six-speed, by comparison, is slower to shift and feels lumpier when selecting a lower gear; it can also be caught out trying to choose among gears. The only wrinkle in the 10-speed’s suit is occasional part-throttle hesitation when shifting out of third gear, when it seemed like it was searching for the next gear but taking its time doing so. Ford says the transmission’s programming is nearly final, and that this issue is on the chopping block. We’ll have to wait for a full test to see how effective the combination of the new V-6 and the 10-speed is at quickening the F-150 and improving its fuel economy, but our first impressions are positive. The Raptor’s take on this powertrain will be hotter, for sure, but the everyday version will serve far more buyers as a $2095 option on the base, regular-cab 2017 F-150 XL (with the longer eight-foot bed)—and costing between $1300 and $2095 on more expensive trim levels; it is standard on the F-150 Limited. Already, the 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines power nearly 65 percent of all new F-150s, with the V-8 and the base non-turbo V-6 duking it out for the scraps. This new version—and its 10-speed automatic—should continue to tip the F-150’s sales mix in favor of EcoBoost. Photo gallery - http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/2017-ford-f-150-3-5l-v-6-ecoboost-10-speed-first-drive-review

I suggest you operate it with both inner and outer rear wheel seals......use it as it was designed by Mack engineers. Give Watt's Mack a call. Using a quality synthetic grease is the only necessary "upgrade".

T&E: VW sells least polluting Euro 6 diesels in Europe; no brand meets Euro 6 in real-world driving; loopholes & defeat strategies Green Car Congress / September 26, 2016 A new study by Transport & Environment (T&E) shows that Volkswagen is currently selling the least polluting (Euro 6) diesel vehicles. However, the report “Dieselgate: Who? What? How?” also found that no brand in Europe complies with the latest Euro 6 air pollution limits for diesel cars and vans in real-world driving. For the in-house analysis, T&E analyzed emissions test data from around 230 diesel car models. Data were taken from the investigations conducted by the British, French and German governments, as well as a large public database. The carmakers’ ranking was built with on-road performance figures mostly measured in real world driving. Among the real-world findings per car brand: Fiat and Suzuki diesel cars on average exceed the NOx limit by 15 times; Renault-Nissan vehicles by more than 14 times; General Motors’ brands Opel/Vauxhall by 10 times; and Volkswagen by 2 times. T&E’s calculations also suggest that today 29 million diesel cars and vans that T&E classifies as “dirty”—3x the Euro 5 NOx limit—are driving on Europe’s roads. The largest number of such diesels is found on French roads (5.5 million), followed by Germany (5.3 million), the UK (4.3 million), Italy (3.1 million), Spain (1.9 million) and Belgium (1.4 million). For Euro 5 vehicles, the five worst performing companies were (in order of the highest emissions): Renault (including Dacia); Land Rover; Hyundai; Opel/Vauxhall (including Chevrolet); and Nissan. The ICCT authors observed that Volkswagen’s performance on the Euro 6 side was not a result of the VW Group “learning its lesson” from the Dieselgate scandal; the group brought its Euro 6 cars to market ahead of the scandal was exposed. VW Group’s Dieselgate engines were mostly of the previous Euro 5 generation. Loopholes. T&E charges that diesel cars are failing to operate their exhaust after-treatment systems for most of the time the car is driving, “almost certainly illegally misusing” a loophole in the rules governing the use of Defeat Devices. Over the last 12 months investigations in Europe (notably the testing programmes in Germany, France and the UK) have shown that the scandal engulfing VW represents the tip of an iceberg. Most carmakers systematically manipulate cars to pass emissions tests through highly questionable and probably illegal means. This results in performance that achieves regulatory limits in a lab but exceeds these by 10 times and more when the emissions are measured on the road. Such behaviour that has been going on for at least six years and probably longer. Regulatory limits for NOx emissions are also breached by a significant margin when tested in conditions even slightly divergent from those prescribed in the EU test protocol (NEDC). The principal reason for such gross exceedances is that carmakers routinely switch-off technologies that clean up the exhaust when the car is driven on the road, and only operate these fully during the narrow conditions of the tests. This is partially to improve official fuel economy figures but is also due to questions about the durability of the emissions treatment systems carmakers have used—specifically exhaust gas recirculation systems that pump hot exhaust gases with a lower oxygen content back into the cylinders to lower production of NOx. Investigations have revealed that national testing authorities have failed to scrutinize the way in which these exhaust after-treatment systems operate (despite a legal requirement for them to do so) and for a decade have turned a blind eye on this unprecedented maltreatment of emissions regulations. —“Dieselgate: Who? What? How?” In addition to automakers’ exploitation of regulatory loopholes, T&E further charged, the laboratory test procedure used to measure the pollutant and CO2 emissions in Europe today is “totally unrealistic and undemanding and in no way representative of real-world driving conditions”. Defeat strategies. Through its analysis, T&E identified three general types of technical defeat strategies which significantly raise emissions on the road. These include the use of: 1. Thermal window defeat device. Almost all models identified show the presence of a “thermal window” defeat device. These switch off or lower the effectiveness of the exhaust treatment systems at temperatures below those typically used during laboratory tests (23 - 29 °C). Manufacturers claim such behavior is needed to protect the engine but the temperatures at which the exhaust treatment effectiveness is lowered is much higher than necessary in many models. 2. Hot restart defeat device. A high number of the high-emitting models on the road show much higher emissions after a hot engine restart than when the engine is cold. Manufacturers say that high emissions are generated by hotter engine temperatures and pressures experienced at warm restarts; however, T&E noted, emissions generated are both a function of the combustion and effectiveness of the after-treatment that should be much better when hot, as found in data obtained by the ICCT from the EPA. High warm start emissions are highly suspicious and possibly suggest that during a cold start a different and more effective engine and exhaust calibration is being used (as the EU test mandates cold starts), T&E said. 3. Cycle detection defeat device. The German type approval authority (KBA) found evidence earlier this year that the exhaust treatment system in some Fiat models would switch itself off after 22 minutes; emissions tests normally run for around 20 minutes. Despite the Italian Transport Ministry (that approved these cars) denying the accusation, KBA are currently asking the European Commission to investigate Fiat 500X models for the presence of this defeat device. The European Commission is far from blameless. It took too long to develop new real world tests that should have identified and resolved some of the issues much earlier. It acceded to the demands from the Member States to weaken new NOx limits for cars and delay their introduction. It designed the type approval regulation in a way that meant no effective checks and balances were built into the system. However, the Commission has acted promptly to reform the system of type approval with good (but not sufficient) proposals to strengthen the rules. It has also made clear its intention to bring infringement proceedings against member states that fail to enforce the law on defeat devices – it now must do this and coordinate an EU-wide recall of vehicles abusing emissions regulations that will ensure air pollution limits are met earlier throughout Europe and fewer people die prematurely. .

Volkswagen, Bosch oppose request for diesel documents Reuters / September 26, 2016 Volkswagen and auto supplier Robert Bosch have asked a U.S. federal judge to reject requests from European investors and vehicle owners to access more than 20 million pages of records turned over in VW's "Dieselgate" scandal. VW, which admitted in 2015 to programming its diesel engines to deceive U.S. emissions testers, faces more than 1,200 lawsuits, consolidated before a judge in San Francisco. The automaker has agreed to pay up to $16.5 billion to resolve claims from some owners, dealers and government regulators. Volkswagen said in a court filing on Friday it has turned over more than 20 million pages to the Justice Department, which is conducting a criminal investigation, and has made the records available to others pursuing claims. VW expects to turn over additional documents, the company said. The company urged a judge to deny in full the "blatantly overbroad requests." The company also said German authorities have rejected document requests because it would "potentially undermine their official investigations." Bosch filed a separate request with the court on Friday asking it to reject the same request, saying it was improperly filed in California. Bosch said it has produced nearly 2 million pages of documents "encompassing documents that contain sensitive information, including competitively sensitive business documents and information that is protected under foreign data privacy laws." The European groups seeking documents include Altroconsumo, an Italian consumer association that has sued VW in Italy; the Wolverhampton City Council, a local government seeking records on behalf of a municipal pension fund in the United Kingdom; and the Dutch Settlement Foundations, groups representing owners and investors that have not yet filed suit in the Netherlands. Lawyers for owners suing Bosch said this month the supplier concealed the use of Volkswagen secret "defeat device" software that it helped design, and demanded in 2008 that the German automaker provide legal protection in its use. Bosch has denied the claims. VW has admitted that it installed improper software that deactivated pollution controls on more than 11 million diesel vehicles sold worldwide and has agreed to compensate and offer buybacks to owners of 475,000 2.0-liter diesel cars. This month, a U.S. Volkswagen engineer pleaded guilty to helping the company evade U.S. emission standards, and his lawyer said he would cooperate with federal authorities in their criminal probe.

VW’s Winterkorn More Closely Involved With Cheating Bloomberg / September 25, 2016 Volkswagen’s former CEO, Martin Winterkorn, approved a plan to disclose only partial information on the carmaker’s software rigging to U.S. authorities seven weeks before the scandal broke last year, Bild newspaper reported, citing newly uncovered documents. On July 28, 2015, Winterkorn signed off on talking points prepared ahead of an informal meeting with regulators in the U.S., at which VW officials would “partially” disclose details about diesel software that cheated on emissions. At the meeting, which took place on Aug. 5, VW employees acknowledged that emissions didn’t meet U.S. standards and that engineers were working to repair it. Seven weeks later, U.S. authorities revealed that VW had flouted environmental regulations, plunging the carmaker into the worst crisis in its history. Winterkorn, who stepped down soon after the revelations, is the subject of a probe seeking to find out whether management was too slow to tell investors about the potential cost of the diesel-emissions scandal. VW has said Winterkorn was present at a meeting in July 2015 in which the diesel situation was a topic on the “periphery” of the gathering. Bild also reported that several VW engineers who were offered suspended sentences and fines in exchange for confessions declined the overture. German supplier Robert Bosch, which provided VW with software, has also suspended several employees as a result of the investigations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Winterkorn Behind Dieselgate Coverup, New Docs Suggest Forbes / September 25, 2016 Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn was well aware of the dieselgate scandal, long before it was made public, documents cited by Germany’s BILD Zeitung suggest. The material also appears to prove that Winterkorn initiated an attempted cover-up. BILD has an internal Volkswagen memo with the date of July 30 2015. Titled “Approval diesel U.S.A.” the message announced that two Volkswagen staffers would meet “deputy executive officer Dr. Ayala for an unofficial information exchange.” At the meeting with CARB’s Alberto Ayala, the “issues” with Volkswagen’s diesel engines should only be “partially disclosed,” the memorandum says. This “approach has been confirmed by Prof. Winterkorn on July 28, 2015” the paper says. A day before the memo was written, “the issue” was the topic at Volkswagen’s “Schadenstisch” (literally “damage table”) a regular crisis and damage control meeting by experts from various departments of Volkswagen. “Are we talking about CO2?” Winterkorn is quoted to have asked at the meeting. “No, it’s nitrous oxide,” he was told. Says BILD: “Latest on that day, Winterkorn supposedly knew all. This was seven weeks before U.S. environmental agencies went public with dieselgate, which led to the unprecedented crash of Volkswagen shares.” The last sentence hints on the direction the leak might be taking. In recent days, German courts have been flooded with lawsuits by investors who claim they lost billions when the company’s shares crashed. To beat a one year statute of limitations, “fax machines overheated” at German courts a week ago, Bloomberg said. One German law firm delivered more than 5,000 complaints by truck. The claimants allege that Volkswagen violated the “ad-hoc” rule requiring the speedy release of findings that might impact the value of a company’s shares. Lawsuits disclosed so far seek nearly $12 billion in damages. For Volkswagen, these lawsuits carry a much higher threat potential than violations of Europe’s famously lax emission laws. According to BILD, public prosecutors in Germany offer Volkswagen engineers settlements in the range of 100,000 to 150,000 Euro ($112,000 to $168,000). Engineers are said to shun the deal, because it would mean that “they would lose coverage by Volkswagen’s legal protection insurance, and they would have to pay for their own lawyers.” On July 8, 2015, CARB informed both the EPA and VW that it found glaring discrepancies between real world emissions and when Volkswagen diesel cars were on the “rolling road” in a testing lab. ”VW offered up excuses for the inconsistency in tailpipe NOx levels, but the EPA wasn’t buying it,” writes Mashable. One year ago, on September 18, EPA went public.

Bloopers and zingers: a history of US presidential debates France 24 / September 26, 2016 Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are expected to set a new audience record when they go face to face on Monday in the first of three presidential debates. But will their encounter prove as consequential, or controversial, as past debates? The unexpectedly tight race for the White House and the unpredictable clash in styles between the two candidates – neither of whom is particularly popular – has generated wide interest in the 90-minute televised debate at New York's Hofstra University, which comes six weeks before the November 8 election. Clinton, a former senator and secretary of state, will seek to buttress her credentials as a steady and competent hand, while catching out her inexperienced and notoriously hot-headed rival. Meanwhile, Trump will be expected to add a little policy depth to the jibes and putdowns that saw him dominate the Republican primary season. Throughout the bout, both camps will be spinning furiously on social media in a bid to shape perceptions of the debate, mindful that Twitter, Facebook and YouTube can turn a below-par performance – like Barack Obama’s versus Mitt Romney in 2012 – into a terrible one. Lincoln’s rhetoric Social media is in the process of altering the nature of presidential debates – a cherished political tradition that, in American political folklore, goes at least as far back as the epic 1858 duels between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Their seven marathon contests – featuring hour-long addresses, 90-minute rebuttals and 30-minute counter-responses – are still seen as the quintessential political debates and bywords for substantive discourse (though the pair was actually vying for a Senate seat, and not the White House). In one of several flourishes, Lincoln claimed his opponent's plans for greater state sovereignty on the matter of slavery were "as thin as the homeopathic soup that was made by boiling the shadow of a pigeon that had starved to death". . . Look like Kennedy A century after the Lincoln-Douglas bouts, and half a century before the rise of social media, television rewrote the rulebook and instituted the norms that still govern debates: look good, relaxed and solid, and avoid slip-ups. John F. Kennedy famously embraced the new medium in 1960, stealing the show in the very first televised debate, against Republican favourite Richard Nixon. The youthful, little known senator from Massachusetts looked far smoother and more telegenic than his rival, who was nursing a knee injury and refused to wear make-up. Radio listeners thought Nixon had won the debate, but the 60 million TV viewers thought otherwise and Kennedy went on to win the election by a whisker. . . Ford’s blooper If Kennedy proved the impact of a good debate performance, then Gerald Ford showed the consequences of a slip-up in a 1976 face-off with Democratic rival Jimmy Carter. The Republican incumbent’s otherwise strong debating had helped him narrow a 20-point gap to just 6 points, but then he stumbled on a gaffe that may have ended his chances of a comeback. Discussing the Soviet Union's actions in Europe, Ford bizarrely declared that "there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe". Taken aback, the moderator interjected and asked for clarification. But Ford refused to admit his error and back down, suggesting that countries like Poland and Romania had autonomy from the Soviet Union. The gaffe was ultimately dubbed, "the blooper heard 'round the world". . . Reagan’s quip Age and physical fitness have been prominent themes in this year’s campaign, with both the Republican and Democratic candidates ranking among the oldest in history, and Clinton struggling to shake off questions about her health. But as a 73-year-old Ronald Reagan showed in 1984, the age issue can be brushed aside with a little witticism. When the topic cropped up in a debate with Democrat opponent Walter Mondale, the incumbent quipped, "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." . . ‘You’re no Jack Kennedy’ Four years later a face-off between vice-presidential candidates delivered the highlight of the debate season, and what has been dubbed the best political zinger of all time. During the campaign, Dan Quayle, the Republican VP candidate, had elicited comparisons with Kennedy for his good looks. But when he claimed that his political career was also comparable to JFK’s, his Democratic rival Lloyd Bentsen put him down with the following stinger: "I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." . . Bush’s nod Trying too hard to corner one’s opponent can prove counter-productive, as Al Gore found out during a 2000 debate with George W. Bush, during which the Democrat sighed, shook his head and rolled his eyes whenever his opponent spoke. At one stage, Gore left his podium and walked over to Bush while he was speaking, in an apparent attempt to intimidate him. But the Republican simply nodded, as if to say “Hello”, and carried on with his statement – prompting laughter from the audience and leaving Gore looking rather odd. . . Gore would go on to lose the election over a few hundred disputed votes in Florida, and Clinton’s strategists will be wary of history repeating itself. Bush was regarded by most Democrats as a political lightweight deprived of presidential gravitas – much as Trump is today. Gore may have won the arguments back in 2000, but coming off as lecturing and smug ultimately proved more costly.

Murders up 10.8% in biggest percentage increase since 1971, FBI data shows The Guardian / September 26, 2016 Murders in the US rose 10.8% last year, the biggest single-year percentage jump since 1971, according to data released Monday by the FBI. The rising violence was driven by an increase in the murders of black men, and by an increase in the number of gun murders. At least 900 more black men were killed in 2015 than in 2014. There were roughly 1,500 additional firearm murders in 2015. No other type of weapon saw a comparable increase. The number of knife murders dropped slightly. The percentage of murders committed with guns increased to 71.5%. Percent changes year to year The net increase in murders, which follows a two-decade downward trend, erased the gains of the past few years, and put the number of murders back at 15,696, about the same number as in 2009. Murder and violent crime are still dramatically lower than they were at the peak of the violent crime wave of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The national murder rate last year was about half what it was in 1991. Even as murders rose, the country’s overall crime rates did not increase as substantially. There was a 3.9% increase in the estimated number of violent crimes, but a 2.6% decrease in the estimated number of property crimes. Despite an “overall increase” in violent crime, 2015 still represented “the third-lowest year for violent crime in the past two decades”, says attorney general Loretta Lynch. Her prepared remarks [oddly] did not mention the 10.8% increase in murders. “We still have so much work to do,” Lynch said. “But the report also reminds us of the progress that we are making. It shows that in many communities, crime has remained stable or even decreased from the historic lows reported in 2014.” A third of the murder increase was driven by upticks in just ten larger cities: Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Washington DC, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Nashville, Kansas City, Missouri, St Louis, and Oklahoma City. Baltimore saw the greatest increase in murders, with 133 more people killed in 2015 than in 2014, pushing the city to its highest-ever murder rate. Some of America’s largest cities, including New York and Los Angeles, saw their murder numbers remain near historic lows in 2015. Black men and women face much less violence today than they did in the early 1990s, belying Donald Trump’s claim last week that “our African American communities are in the worst shape they’ve ever been ... ever. Ever. Ever.” Murder rates by race and sex Despite steep declines in violence since the 1990s, though, the murder rate for black men and boys is still much higher than for other Americans, and it increased slightly last year, according to a Guardian analysis of FBI supplementary homicide data and census data. The supplementary homicide data includes a racial breakdown of murder victims submitted by most, but not all, law enforcement agencies. In 2015, black men were about nine times more likely to be murdered than white men, and black women were three times more likely to be murdered than white women, according to the analysis. Compared with the early 1990s, when the biggest contributors to the crime increase were the country’s largest cities, “it’s slightly smaller cities that are having the biggest impact on rising murders”, said John Pfaff, a Fordham University law professor who studies criminal sentencing and incarceration. The 10 cities that drove a third of the murder increase only account for 13% of total murders in the US, he noted. Guns uses for homicides There is no consensus yet on what factors might be driving a sharp increase in murders alone, but crime has become a politically charged election issue, and the uptick will probably figure in Monday’s presidential debate. Crime trend experts said they expected politicians to overplay the significance of the new numbers and to react with “hysteria”. In St Louis, which already had one of the highest murder rates in the US, murders increased again last year. Last year, 143 of the city’s murder victims were black men and boys killed with guns, according to data from the police department. Local residents were not optimistic that a debate over a national murder increase would make them safer. Murders since 1960 Advocates for criminal justice reform said they worried the one-year uptick would fuel calls for a return to damaging, tough-on-crime policies. The US has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, and both violent crime and mass incarceration disproportionately affect black Americans. The human cost of an overreaction to the murder increase could be “a lot bigger” than the toll of the rising violence itself, Pfaff said. He said he expected the increase to prompt calls for more arrests and more prison time. The wealthier white Americans whose votes help determine crime policy “don’t tend to be those who feel the costs”, Pfaff said. Early data from large cities this year suggests that 2015’s uptick in murders may not be a single-year increase. A report from the Brennan Center, analyzing murders in 30 large cities this year, projected an additional 13.1% increase in the murder rates for those cities in 2016, with most of that increase being driven by just three cities: Chicago, Baltimore and Houston. Together, the national large city increases in 2015 and 2016 were projected to drive a 31.5% increase in the murder rate compared with 2014. “There is no evidence of a national murder wave, yet increases in these select cities are indeed a serious problem,” the Brennan Center report concluded. Chicago alone has seen a close to 50% increase in shootings and murders this year. FBI Director James Comey has repeatedly drawn a connection between increasing violence and “a change in how the police are doing their work” due to the continuing nationwide protests over police killings of black citizens. “In today’s YouTube world, are officers reluctant to get out of their cars and do the work that controls violent crime?” he asked in 2015, describing “a chill wind that has blown through law enforcement over the last year”. In May, he suggested the increasing violence could be related to “marginal pullbacks by lots and lots of police officers”, and said that police leaders across the country had seen a change in how their officers do their jobs. Barack Obama’s administration has repeatedly rejected any connection between protests over police violence and increasing murders. But a Justice Department-funded report on the 2015 murder increase concluded that there might be some connection between public anger over police killings and an increase in community violence. Criminologists caution that crime and violence are highly local, and driven by a tangle of so many different factors that it is nearly impossible to say exactly what causes a given increase or decrease. Crime statistics are also easy to over-dramatize. Murder numbers in a small town, for instance, can be dramatically distorted by a single incident with multiple casualties. A town that typically sees a murder a year will see a 100% increase in murders if it ends the year with two. New York City, which saw more than 2,000 murders a year in the early 1990s, saw just 352 last year, according to New York police department data. Los Angeles, which saw more than 1,000 murders a year in the early 1990s, has seen fewer than 300 in recent years. Trump has blamed Obama and his administration for a “rollback of criminal enforcement” that has made the country less safe. This criticism is not supported by the FBI’s murder data. Murders have declined through most of Obama’s two terms, with a serious uptick only in his second-to-last year in office. Between 2008, the year before Obama took office, and 2014, murders dropped, with 2,000 fewer Americans murdered in 2014 than in the last year of George W Bush’s administration. Crime experts also cautioned that a single-year uptick was not a trend. “It’s the curse of success. Because we’re doing better, a similar absolute change will look worse,” Pfaff said. Despite a general downward trend over the past decades, nationwide murder numbers have increased in some recent years. In 2005, for instance, murders increased by 3.67%, according to FBI data, then increased a further 3% in 2006. In October 2006, the Police Executive Research Forum released a report warning the country about “a gathering storm of violent crime that threatens to erode the considerable crime reductions of the past”. “Violent crime in many of the nation’s cities, from one coast to the other, has begun to spike upwards,” the report argued. “The percentage of violent crime in America had the largest single-year increase in 14 years.” The next year, murders resumed a downward trend. In general, the president and the federal government have very little power to determine the country’s response to crime and violence. The country has 18,000 local law enforcement agencies of different kinds, including more than 12,000 local police departments, which are largely independent from federal control. Most power to determine crime policy is in the hands of state legislators, and local mayors, police chiefs and prosecutors.

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