Advancements in dashboards, armrests and steering wheels may be the next step in technological advancements for truck drivers
In an effort to transform the transport industry, heavy vehicle giant Scania have revealed their Smart Dash digital dashboard.
The display is equipped with a range of new safety features that Scania claims are now safer, smarter and more intuitive to the human experience than ever before.
“Smart and safe trucks will bring increased productivity, fewer accidents and safer drivers. The driver will experience that their working tool really supports them, providing everything from information about the truck itself and possible hazards to general guidance and their favourite pods with crystal-clear sound,” says Eduardo Landeo, Scania product manager.
Scania’s latest truck generation offers optional functions that actually go beyond the legal minimum standards.
A major selling point is their new Advanced Emergency Braking for Vulnerable Road Users (AEB VRU); instead of just warning that there is a pedestrian in front of the truck, the vehicle also does the actual braking when necessary.
“No matter how experienced or careful a driver is, with all the time they spend on the roads there will always come a day when he or she is eternally grateful for the alert from one of the warning systems,” says Landeo.
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With customer expectations constantly rising, the user-friendly display includes both over the air updates and 5G potential.
“Scania trucks can now be closely integrated with everything from the fleet management system to the actual driving environment and an array of cloud-based services for improved safety, uptime and productivity,” Scania Trucks head and senior vice president Stefan Dorski says.
The Smart Dash driver station always includes two displays: the Driver Display in front of the driver and the Centre Information Display (a touch screen that is available in two sizes – 10’1 or 12’9 inches). The driver can give input via the touch screen, by pushing buttons or by voice steering.
Hosting a healthy mix of manual controls and digital displays, the sleek screens are completely customisable, with limitless opportunities to individualise the driving experience.
“The most well-used functions should of course be readily available,” says Landeo. “It is all about offering the drivers the best possible experience and making sure that new technology always supports the drivers rather than annoying them or bringing cognitive overload.”
Dorski says the Smart Dash is the latest jigsaw piece in Scania’s quest for transforming the transport industry, making it smart and sustainable.