Daimler: Electric Delivery Trucks, Vans on the Way for U.S.

The Fuso eCanter shown at IAA displays a little more pizazz for the show, including a redesigned interior showcasing connectivity functions. Photo: Deborah Lockridge

Daimler plans to introduce two new electric commercial vehicles into the U.S. in the next few years, it announced at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany, while also showing off a highly connected and efficient electric concept truck.

The Mitsubishi Fuso eCanter will see a “soft launch” in the U.S. next year, most likely in areas such as southern California and New York City, where highly congested and emissions-challenged urban areas make electric delivery vehicles ideal.
In addition, Mercedes Vans says it will introduce an e-van, likely in the 2018 time frame.

In a roundtable with North American trucking reporters at the show, Wolfgang Bernhard, head of Daimler Truck & Bus, explained how rapidly evolving battery technology is making electric commercial trucks available faster than the industry would have expected just a few years ago.

In fact, at the IAA show just two years ago, he said he didn't see any applications for electric trucks. 


“And you ask yourself, what made me change your mind? Honestly, what happened was battery technology changed, more drastically than we ever hoped for. And that change is driven by these guys,” he said, holding out his smartphone. “These guys are very powerful customers and are asking for more powerful batteries.”

The performance of batteries has improved by 2.5 times, he said, and the costs have come down by about the same amount. “Now we're reaching a tiring point. And that tipping point will be the end of this decade.”

Electric trucks are better than diesel for urban delivery, he said — quieter, less emissions, and they don't face the challenges that diesel engines do in stop and go traffic where they never get ...Read the rest of this story

U.S. unveils federal self-driving vehicle guidelines

Wabco Partnerships Aimed at Advancing Autonomous Vehicle Tech

Wabco Holdings is collaborating with Peloton Technology and Mobileye to advance the company's autonomous vehicle technologies, the company announced at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany.

Wabco is working with Peloton to advance an innovative solution for truck platooning, integrated commercial vehicle-to-vehicle communication and other automation technologies to improve safety and fuel efficiency.

By electronically linking two or more trucks and forming a virtual road train on highways, platooning increases fuel economy for each truck. Wabco will contribute to this concept with its portfolio of braking, advanced stability and emergency braking systems, including predictive cruise control. Peloton will bring its proprietary platooning technologies that are currently under testing in the U.S.

Wabco's OnGuardActive collision mitigation system is important to vehicles connected in a platoon. When necessary, it provides active braking to avoid or mitigate impending rear-end collisions.

Peloton's systems enable platooning through advanced vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communication, enabling tractor-trailers to accelerate and brake together and safely operate at closer distances to gain aerodynamic efficiencies. Peloton's Network Operations Center supervises the platooning trucks, allowing platooning only where, when and how it is safe to do so.

Peloton's system also processes real-time data gathered from sensors linked to other vehicle's active safety and automation systems, including Wabco's OnGuard emergency braking system and from data about the vehicle's systems and their performance.

“Today's announcement builds on our past work together, and we continue to be excited about the synergy with Wabco, a global technology leader in advanced driver assistance and active safety systems,” said Josh Switkes, Peloton CEO and founder. “Working with Wabco, we can make trucks and drivers safer on highways whether in a platoon or operating individually.”

Wabco has also signed an agreement with an automotive industry supplier based in Asia to bring active steering and other technologies to the commercial industry through a new joint ...Read the rest of this story

FMCSA to allow windshield mounted tech safety devices

Waiting game underway in axle weight protest

FMCSA Final Rule Allows Windshield Mounted Technology

Photo: Lytx

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a final rule amending the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to allow the voluntary mounting of certain devices on the interior of the windshields of commercial motor vehicles.

The rule includes technology placed within the area that is swept by the windshield wipers. Section 5301 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation or FAST Act directs the FMCSA to amend the FMCSRs to allow devices to be mounted on the windshield that make use of “vehicle safety technology.”

Section 5301 also states that all windshield-mounted devices and technologies that were already given an exemption will already meet or exceed the safety standard required for the initial exemption.

The final rule is a nondiscretionary, ministerial action that does not require prior public notice and public comment under the Administrative Procedure Act.

To read the complete Federal Register notice, click here.

Related: Cameras in the Cab

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Vipar Heavy Duty Names New Controller

Beth San Filippo Photo: Vipar Heavy Duty

Vipar Heavy Duty has named Beth San Filippo as its new controller. San Filippo joined Vipar Heavy Duty and its family of companies in November 2011 and most recently was accounting manager.

Before joining Vipar Heavy Duty, San Filippo was a senior tax accountant for Ameritech Credit Corporation and a senior staff accountant for Kessler Orlean Silver & Co. She is a certified public accountant and is a graduate of Southern Illinois University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.

“Beth has played a significant role in our day-to-day financial operations and has been an integral part of our accounting team,” said Steve Crowley, president and CEO, Vipar Heavy Duty. “As she moves into this expanded role, we are confident that she will continue to provide an outstanding level of service to both our internal and external stakeholders.”

Vipar Heavy Duty is a network of independent aftermarket truck parts distributors with more than 630 locations in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

Related: New Initiatives to Improve Parts and Service Offerings

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