Mack Trucks is making the job of the highway truck driver easier with the introduction of Mack Command Steer in the Mack Anthem. In addition, the company announced that the Anthem daycab has received SmartWay certification from the Environmental Protection Agency. The announcements came during the Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting February 24-27 in Atlanta GA.
Mack Command Steer, the latest in driver-assist technology, will be available for order on Mack Anthem models beginning in the second quarter of 2020. A highly advanced active steering system, Mack Command Steer adds an electric motor to the existing hydraulic steering to help reduce driver effort up to 85% and improve driver productivity and comfort.
“Even with the all-day comfort provided by the Mack Anthem model’s ergonomic interior, driving a heavy-duty truck remains a highly physical task,” said Stu Russoli, Mack highway product manager. “With Mack Command Steer, we’re helping reduce driver fatigue and muscle strain by up to 30%, improving safety and productivity as well as helping to protect the truck’s most valuable asset: the driver.”
Mack Command Steer provides variable steering assist based on the driving situation. Multiple sensors throughout the truck monitor road conditions, driver inputs and even environmental elements, and relay those observations more than 2,000 times per second. The system’s electric motor then applies additional torque as needed to the steering, making it easier to keep the truck on the desired path.
“The additional torque, or steering force, provided by Mack Command Steer means drivers no longer have to ‘fight the wheel’ while driving on poor roads or in difficult weather conditions,” Russoli said. “This helps drivers maintain greater control and keep their focus on what’s ahead, enhancing safety for everyone on the road.”
Even in normal driving situations, Mack Command Steer helps suppress road disturbances such as potholes or other surface irregularities, smoothing the steering feedback and reducing the possibility of steering wheel “kicks.”
Another unique capability of Mack Command Steer is a return to zero feature that automatically returns the steering wheel to the center or zero position, helping simplify maneuvers in tight spaces, whether going forward or in reverse.
Mack officials also announced EPA SmartWay certified for appropriately specified Mack Anthem daycab models. To gain EPA SmartWay certification, trucks must have technologies and features that reduce their environmental impact through improved fuel efficiency.
SmartWay certified Mack Anthem daycab models must be spec’d with roof fairings and side shields, chassis fairings, and an aerodynamic bumper option. In addition, low rolling resistance SmartWay-certified tires are required.