Volvo to introduce system capable or memorising road conditions to reduce a truck's fuel consumption
Gary Worrall | June 28, 2012
Volvo Trucks is firing the latest barrage in the technology war with the announcement of the new I-See system to be introduced from 2013 onwards.
Integrated with the truck’s cruise control and the I-shift transmission, I-See allows the onboard computers to memorise up to 5,000km of road and 4,000 separate gradients and use the terrain to reduce fuel consumption.
Volvo Product Manager Hayder Wokil says the I-See system uses the trucks own kinetic energy to cut fuel consumption, which in turn will reduce carbon emissions.
“I-See is an autopilot linked to the truck’s cruise control, taking over and handling gear changes, throttle and brakes on gradients, ensuring they all operate in the most fuel-efficient way possible. I-See freewheels as much as possible – so on certain stretches of road no fuel is used at all,” Wokil says.
The I-See system uses six modes to maximise fuel economy, including accelerating uphill to hold the highest possible gear, and not downshifting if the truck is about to crest a hill.
Wokil says the system learns the road, using the transmission’s tilt sensor to establish the grade of the road, making it independent of maps, so that the next time the route is travelled the truck will know where it is possible to save fuel.
Undulating terrain allows the I-see system to work at its peak, using downhill sections to gather speed for the next hill climb.
“This allows the driver to focus more on the surrounding traffic and other aspects of the journey. What is more, progress on the road is more relaxed,” says Wokil.
“And an alert driver is a better driver. That’s something we know for sure.”
Volvo Trucks Vice President Gary Bone says Australian operators are working hard to reduce fuel consumption and I-See can make a big impact in this area.
“This new technology initiative is very exciting and will be well suited to Australia. Like any new Volvo products though, this new feature will be thoroughly tested in our local market conditions prior to release for sale,” Bone says.
I-See is expected to be on sale in Australia and New Zealand in late 2013 but it is not certain at this time if it will be offered across all Volvo truck models.
