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Hannover shows off latest trucking gadgets

The annual IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Germany unveiled a number of new truck technologies

By Gary Worrall

There might only have been a few vehicles making their world debut at the 62nd IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany, but the stunning array of new technologies on display for the first time was more than enough to keep any technophile happy.

While previous Hannover shows have hosted numerous European and global vehicle debuts, in 2008 it was the turn of the suppliers to take centre stage as they demonstrate how they can make transport safer, cleaner and greener.

Companies like ZF, Allison, Bosch Rexroth, Knorr Bremse and many more all took their turn to bask in the sun as they showcased their latest developments.

Leading the charge is German transmission designer ZF, showcasing a range of ‘modular’ hybrids designed to fit into a variety of vehicles.7

The new ZF range is the first time a group of transmissions have been introduced that can be supplied to any vehicle manufacturer, instantly providing hybrid drive.

ZF says operators need either an automatic or automated manual transmission for full hybrid drive, due to the need for the vehicle’s CPU to select the appropriate gear, as well as managing clutch applications as required.

American giant Allison Transmission is also making a major bid for market supremacy with its new hybrid drive automatics ready for release in 2009.

While Allison is saying little about the new transmissions, the hybrid drive models will offer ‘flat’ shifting, unlike regular manual transmissions.

Component supplier Knorr Bremse had a new truck parking sensor system on display, which can be used to warn drivers of their proximity to walls and docks along the length of the vehicle, as well obstacles behind the truck. A company spokesman says the system could also be configured to detect awnings or other height sensitive objects.

Continental AG displayed its new tyre pressure monitoring system, which can provide drivers with an instant readout of a tyre suffering a loss of air pressure via an in-cabin display, which can identify an individual tyre in a multi-axle combination.

Also on display was the latest generation adaptive cruise control, able to recognise a stopped object in the truck’s path and slow the vehicle to a virtual standstill, as well as lane departure warning systems that can read the road conditions and detect bends in the road, as well as warning the driver if they have left their own lane.

Bosch Rexroth was another to debut a revised version of their equipment, with an updated hydraulic/diesel hybrid, aimed at operators engaged in constant stop-start driving, such as waste compactors where the stored energy can be used almost instantaneously.

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