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The interface between the truck cab and the driver is changing to integrate both driver-specific information and data from the truck and the world outside, with global developers showing high-tech displays like this one from Continental. Photo: Continental<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a crisp, clear, spring morning in the not-too-distant-future when a young driver named Jamal arrives for work in the pre-dawn. Climbing out of the autonomous, shared-ride car that brought him to the terminal, Jamal checks his smartphone to get the vital information on how he\u2019s going to spend his day \u2014 the truck number he\u2019s assigned, his cargo, his routes, his delivery destinations and scheduled arrival times.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no need to walk into the terminal to clock in or check in. Jamal\u2019s phone has notified his dispatcher that he\u2019s on the premises and about to begin his day. So Jamal walks out to the yard and finds his assigned truck.<\/p>\n
After climbing in, Jamal holds for a second in front of the dash to allow the truck\u2019s facial recognition camera to capture his image. Once the vehicle confirms it is, in fact, Jamal sitting behind the steering wheel, with a push of a button, the truck engine starts right away.<\/p>\n
While the diesel engine warms up, the truck\u2019s on-board computer syncs with Jamal\u2019s virtual assistant, which he named Marcus, in honor of his truck-driving grandfather. The assistant exists as a complete virtual entity that syncs to, and communicates to the world at large, via Jamal\u2019s smartphone.<\/p>\n
Taking its instructions from Marcus, the truck computer begins configuring the cab and all of the vehicle\u2019s operational and performance parameters to Jamal\u2019s preferences. The dash center cluster in front of him arranges its digital speedometer, transmission indicator, and tachometer in exactly the places Jamal wants them. The advanced safety system and smart cruise control load Jamal\u2019s preferred settings, warnings, and audio levels, while the rear- and side-view cameras sync with the truck\u2019s facial recognition camera and intelligent driver\u2019s seat to automatically adjust their views and comfort settings to him. And while all of this is going on, all the day\u2019s trip information \u2014 including route maps complete with real-time traffic flow, accident reports and weather updates \u2014 loads into the large display screen in the truck\u2019s center dash section. This happens every time Jamal climbs into a new truck, regardless of the vehicle\u2019s make and model.<\/p>\n
All this happens in less time than the truck\u2019s engine takes to warm up, and requires little or no inputs from Jamal, unless he cares to tweak some of the settings or make a course correction to his preplanned route.<\/p>\n
Once done, Jamal pulls out of the yard, into traffic and starts on his way. Normally he likes to listen to talk radio in the morning. His favorite, preset stations were loaded into the truck\u2019s infotainment center along with all of his other data, but this morning, Jamal is in the mood for some old school jams. \u201cMarcus,\u201d he says, noting the flash of light on the dash, telling him his virtual assistant is alert and listening, \u201cplay Jay-Z\u2019s greatest hits.\u201d And as his cab fills with the beat of classic hip hop, Jamal merges onto the freeway and gets down to the business of trucking.<\/p>\n A few years ago, Jamal and his smart truck interior would\u2019ve sounded like something out of a science fiction movie. But today, given the quicksilver changes coming at society, trucking, and individuals, that scenario doesn\u2019t sound so far-fetched.<\/p>\n \u201cI would love to have a tablet display screen and a personalized truck cab like that,\u201d says Jamie Hagen, the owner and chief driver of Hellbent Xpress, a small fleet running out of North Dakota. Hagen is a Mack fanatic, who has a promotional deal with the OEM. He\u2019s an admitted \u201ctechnology guy,\u201d who uses social media to talk about his experiences from trucking\u2019s technology frontier. \u201cThere would be a huge value to having a vehicle that configures itself the way you want when you climb up into the cab,\u201d Hagen says. \u201cIt would be a big quality of work and life improvement for the slip-seat guys driving for fleets. And for an \u2018information guy\u2019 like me in my own truck \u2014 I\u2019d be in heaven with all the information at my fingertips, presented the way I wanted it.\u201d<\/p>\n As far as Hagen is concerned, information is the future of trucking. \u201cEvery aspect of it comes down to information,\u201d he says. \u201cFrom where a load is and when the receiver can expect it, to the way my gauges are configured. And I want to customize that data: I want to know how much weight is on each axle, what my engine temperatures and pressures are, and what my exhaust system regen possibilities are. We have thousands of sensors on these trucks today, capturing data. But we\u2019re still not doing a good job getting that data out to the people who need it, in the ways they want to receive it. I think smart driver-vehicle interfaces will be a huge step forward in making those things happen.\u201d<\/p>\n And Hagen isn\u2019t alone in his assessment. Hyliion is making a name for itself as a developer of \u201csmart\u201d mild hybrid drive systems for Class 8 tractors. But early on, says Thomas Healy, the company\u2019s founder and CEO, he and his engineers realized that a modern system of relaying information to the driver about how a truck is performing and why is an essential component for optimal efficiency and performance from both the man and the machine.<\/p>\n Hyliion engineers are deeply involved in the development of personalized display systems that use a Bluetooth app to sync a driver\u2019s preferences to a vehicle. \u201cAs soon as a smartphone goes into a vehicle, its computer knows who that driver is and what their preferences are,\u201d Healy explains. \u201cAnd once the driver is in place, we can use that app to help coach him or her while we \u2018gamify\u2019 the driving experience from a fuel economy perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s because one of Hyliion\u2019s selling points for its technology is enhanced fuel economy. But the best technology in the world can\u2019t overcome a driver who doesn\u2019t know \u2014 or care \u2014 how to make the best use of it. Which is why the company is investing so much time and money in getting the interface between the driver, the truck, and the technology right.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to set up a system where we can reward drivers day in and day out \u2014 regardless of what truck they are in \u2014 for good fuel economy performance. The only way we can make that a reality over a long periods of time is with a smart interface between the truck and driver.\u201d<\/p>\n Facial recognition will be a crucial interface component in trucks of the future as well, says Roman Tsarovsky, chief technology officer at Serve, a company developing this technology for trucking. Initially, he explains, facial recognition technology for trucks was developed to meet needs in the pharmaceutical industry, which will have to meet tough government regulations beginning next year to ensure that prescription drug shipments are being picked up, and delivered to, the people who are supposed to be shipping and receiving the goods.<\/p>\n But, Tsarovsky says, one need only look at the booming last-mile delivery segment and the evolution of blockchain to understand why facial recognition inside a truck cab will be critical for fleets in the future. \u201cAs the pressure grows to know where a truck is, what the status of a delivery is, to place and take orders and get paid in a transparent and fast-moving environment, simply knowing who a driver is, and who a receiver is, will be a huge advantage,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a simple technology feature that will streamline operations, while greatly enhancing security. And, even in the future, trucking will be a business that thrives with human interaction. And facial recognition technology enables all of those capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n As for voice commands inside the truck, Healy says that technology is also simply a matter of time. \u201cSome drivers love the idea,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd others don\u2019t want anyone talking to them while they\u2019re in the truck. So we think this capability will be up to the driver.\u201d But the possibilities are endless, he says. For instance, you can tell the truck you\u2019re going to stop in the next hour, so the APU can start storing up hotel load power levels. \u201cI think it will be transformative.\u201d<\/p>\n Hagen loves the potential a smart, connected, voice-activated truck cab could give him. \u201cJust imagine asking out loud how far to the next truckstop and getting an answer,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd then imagine just asking if there are any parking spaces available for the night \u2014 and if there are, telling your truck to go ahead and reserve you one. That would be incredible. I can\u2019t even begin to tell you how awesome that would be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll of this is coming, and we need to have standards in place to help drivers be safe when it does,\u201d says Fred Andersky, director of customer solutions and government affairs for Bendix. \u201cToday, we don\u2019t even have standardization in terms of icons and switch and gauge placement in our trucks, because we\u2019re still in the stage where these new technologies are competitive selling points. Smart interfaces will go a long way toward enhancing safety. But standardization across all makes and models will be critical for making that a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n by Jack Roberts<\/a><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/fleetimages.bobitstudios.com\/upload\/trucking-info\/content\/article\/tech\/mind-meld-truck3-__-720x456-a.jpg\")
A truly transformative technology<\/h4>\n
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Facing the future<\/h4>\n
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I\u00b4m\u00a0a Fleet Management expert, and the manager of\u00a0