Truck

As useful as GPS is in the modern world, we're really only at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to some of the potential functionality of satellite-based navigation. The Active Prediction system under development at Scania, a member of Volkswagen AG, is one example. The system fuses GPS and cruise control, allowing the vehicle to predict terrain features of the road ahead and help to boost gas mileage. Read More

Much as some people loathe it, I’ve always kind of liked the Subaru Baja. It has the quirky short-bed car/truck look of the Hummer, but isn’t anywhere near as large and nasty as that vehicle. Well, the designers at smart have taken the “little Hummer” idea to the extreme, with the for-us concept. Premiering next month at the North American International Auto Show, the two-seater electric car looks pretty much like a smart fortwo ... with a little cargo bed in back. Read More

Being in Belgium in November for a truck show may or may not be your cup of tea/mug of Java, but Mercedes is at least doing its best to make the "Trailer 2011" exhibition interesting. The truck design world moves at a glacial pace compared to the consumer automobile business, and new models have to provide serious and significant commercial improvements if they are to be accepted by the trucking fraternity. Coming off the back of the well-received launch of its new Actros heavyweight tractor unit, Mercedes brought along a trailer concept design that aims to match and extend the significant commercial and environmental advantages of that unit. It looks cool, too. Read More

With the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show just a month away, commercial vehicle manufacturer Mitsubishi Fuso has provided a preview of its new heavy-duty hybrid truck concept that will be on display. With the recognizably Japanese moniker of the "Super Great HEV" (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), the truck features a conventional diesel engine, an electric motor/generator, lithium-ion battery and related control software that come together to provide what Fuso claims is an increase in fuel efficiency of as much as 10 percent over conventional diesel-only powered vehicles. Read More

Modern technology is capable of creating some astounding vehicles, as is evidenced by a behemoth of remarkable proportions that will be one of the attractions at the forthcoming Top Gear Live shows in the U.K. Each 6ft x 4ft wheel/tire combination of the Ford 350 Monster truck weighs in at a quarter of a ton, but that's no problem because its methanol-burning, supercharged 9.5 liter Chevy motor produces 1300 bhp and more than 1000 ft-lb of torque. Economical it is not, delivering a jaw-dropping 50-60 yards per gallon. Completing the over-the-top creation, the truck is fitted with a 600 psi air cannon capable of firing any object up to 650 kg (1,433 lb). Refrigerators go more than 80 yards (73 m), scooters (pictured) go a lot further. Read More

All of the different places I've lived in have had one thing in common – an early morning wake up call when the refuse truck appears in the street. Any move to make such things a little quieter is very welcome indeed, and if it benefits the environment too, then that's another tick in the plus column. Dow Kokam and PVI have announced that a fleet of much less noisy electric refuse trucks is to be rolled out in 2011 by SITA Ile de France, offering similar power and performance levels as their fossil-fueled counterparts. Read More

The HybriDrive series propulsion system developed by BAE Systems is currently enhancing the fuel efficiency and cutting emissions on more than 3,000 transit buses in cities around the world, including New York and London. The system is specifically suited to the driving patterns of urban transport, which involve low average speeds and frequent stopping and starting. To meet the needs of applications that have higher operating speeds and less frequent stops, BAE is developing a new parallel hybrid propulsion system to bring the fuel-saving benefits of its technology to medium and heavy-duty trucks. Read More

It doesn't take much analysis to reach the conclusion that truck rollovers are very dangerous. Studies have shown that over 6 percent of the heavy truck fatalities and incapacitating injuries on U.S roads alone are a result of rollover accidents. Modern trucks fitted with ESP (Electronic Stability Program) have a greater chance of avoiding the problem, but this retrofittable early warning tanker roll-over device developed by Bertocco Automotive Engineering of Italy and Shell Chemicals Europe provides added safety for older vehicles... and it's just been awarded top prize in the EuroTra Safety and Innovation Award 2010. Read More

The more environmentally conscious among us still driving gasoline-powered cars often feel a pang of guilt as we turn on the air-conditioning on a hot day, knowing that we’ve just significantly reduced the fuel efficiency of the vehicle and sent more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. While solar-powered AC systems – even portable ones – are nothing new, there’s been a problem getting their size down to a point that would allow them to cool a vehicle. While cars may have to wait a bit longer, truck drivers look like being spoiled for choice with another solar-powered AC system joining the i-Cool Solar system we looked at earlier this month. Read More