Scania claims its new digital dashboard Smart Dash is opening the way to ‘smarter, safer and better truck driving experiences for all kinds of drivers’.
The company says its modular build and latest digital solutions ensure that Scania trucks offer a secure, connected and comforting atmosphere behind the wheel. A local Scania representative. says the new dash will come to Australia but would not be drawn on when
Scania says drivers of its trucks will have excellent control over their truck and surroundings, receiving discreet nudges from their smart truck companion whenever a hazard is anticipated or an action is requested.
“Apart from great overview and endless opportunities to individualise the driver station, our Smart Dash is also the leverage for increased communication and digitalisation in and around the truck,” said Stefan Dorski, senior vice presidentand head of Scania Trucks.
“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,” Dorski said.
According to Scania its Smart Dash represents the latest advance in human and machine interface solutions for driver stations in heavy trucks. The company says the driver chooses which information to display or omit and the whole set-up is made for being intuitive and user-friendly with a smart mix of physical and digital controls that offers overview and peace of mind, without cognitive overload.
Scania 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. Scania has settled for a balanced mix between physical and digital controls, steering away from the common mistake of hiding vital functions one or two levels down in a menu.
“The most well-used functions should of course be readily available,” said Eduardo Landeo, product manager, Scania Trucks.
“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. Or even, in the worst-case scenarios, create situations where their focus wanders from the road and direct vision to adjust basic things such as the interior temperature,” said Landeo.
Scania says its latest truck generation offers many safety functions as standard when sold on European markets, saying that other functions are optional and go beyond the legal minimum standards. One example is its Advanced Emergency Braking for Vulnerable Road Users (AEB VRU); instead of warning that there is a pedestrian in front of the truck, the vehicle also does the braking when necessary.
“With this introduction, we open up a digital and connected spectrum that will benefit drivers as well as fleet owners and fleet managers,” said Landeo.
“Smart and safe trucks will bring increased productivity, fewer accidents and safer drivers. The driver will experience that theirs 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,” he said.
Customers’ expectations of connected vehicles and active safety features are constantly rising. Scania Smart Dash meets these trends with its user-friendly and modular digital interface that includes both over the air updates and 5G potential. The never-ending support that the safety systems offer is the driver’s best tool for avoiding serious accidents.
“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,” said Landeo.
