15.09.2024 | Tech & Innovation
This will not be an evolution, but a revolution: Daimler Truck aims to create the software-defined truck – a self-optimizing device making transportation safe, comfortable and efficient like never before. This is the “Future of Trucking” – our vision to leverage the full potential of digitalization. An article by Andreas Gorbach.
Ten years ago, we introduced the “Future Truck 2025”. A concept study that showed how autonomous driving in a heavy-duty truck could work. Just four years later, in 2018, we were the first manufacturer to bring SAE Level 2 automated driving into series production.
Today, our test fleet of autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia trucks is in daily operation on public roads in the U.S. – and we aim to enter the U.S. market with SAE Level 4 autonomous trucks in 2027.
Now that our vision for 2025 is about to become reality, it is time for Daimler Truck to take another look into the future – towards 2035. To show how we will keep on delivering the best commercial vehicles to our customers. With the very technologies that make their business more successful.
Two technology fields are key in this context. Besides the “power to drive” – the propulsion system (and I have already written about decarbonizing transportation here) – the second highly differentiating technology field is the “intelligence to drive”: Everything related to software and electronics in a vehicle.
Yes, of course we talk about emissions-free vehicles. But we also talk about highly intelligent, software-defined vehicles. Making drivers feel at home. Making our world safer. Enabling our vehicles to continuously optimize themselves with updates over-the-air – every second they are on the road. And enabling them to remain state-of-the-art for many more years. This means: Making a huge difference for the business of our customers, by maximizing the value of their assets over time.
This is the vision we are pursuing in terms of digitalization. A vision that is not connected to a specific single concept truck. It is a brand-agnostic vision.
Therefore, it is about more than another future truck. It is about the future of trucking.
Andreas Gorbach, Mitglied des Vorstands der Daimler Truck Holding AG, verantwortlich für Truck Technology
This year, Daimler Truck has made a big, evolutionary step forward. We implemented a major update regarding the mechatronic architecture of our vehicles. Essentially, this enables our latest truck-generation, such as the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 and the Actros L, to enter the next level of driver comfort, connectivity, active safety systems – and also to receive over-the-air updates, without a workshop stop.
However, we already think beyond that. This will no longer be an evolution but a revolution. And we plan to partner on this revolution with the Volvo Group.
In May, we announced our intention to establish a joint venture to write the code for the future of trucking. Together, we intend to develop a software-defined vehicle platform and with it a dedicated truck operating system.
This will enable us, our customers and basically all developers out there to deploy differentiating software features onto our trucks. They will continuously be improved with regular updates, without touching the hardware – the way it works today with our smartphones. This is going to turn our vehicles into programmable devices – like a “heavy-duty smartphone on wheels”.
The hardware architecture and the operating system are a key enabler, yet not differentiator, and thus will be shared between Volvo and Daimler Truck. And more partners and customers are welcome to join.
The future of trucking is not some theoretical concept far into the future. Some of it is already alive in our trucks today. And more will come over the next years. Yes, the future of trucking will be emission-free. And it will be even more.
In this future, our vehicles will become self-optimizing devices, highly integrated into the IT systems of our customers. This will make their businesses more successful than ever before and unlock new levels of driving comfort, safety and asset utilization. Thus, we make sure that our vehicles continue to serve our economy and society – to keep the world moving.
This is just a vision for now, but I am certain that together we can make it a reality sooner than we think.
Dr Andreas Gorbach is Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG and Head of Truck Technology. Prior to his current position, he was CEO of the fuel cell joint venture cellcentric of Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group. Before that, Gorbach was Head of Product Management for the global generations of engines and axles at Daimler Truck. In addition, he was responsible for climate protection and air quality within the company’s sustainability strategy.
Gorbach started his career at Daimler Truck in 2005 in the powertrain development department. He held various management positions in the following years, including Head of Development for the global engine platforms.