Volvo Trucks recently released a new series of parameter updates it says complements the newly launched Parameter Plus subscription package, which allows for up to 50 parameter updates annually per covered vehicle.
With more than 250 parameters to choose from, this new set of updates will provide customers with value in terms of cost savings, fuel efficiency and uptime, Volvo said.
“The enhancements we’ve made to our range of available parameter updates demonstrates Volvo Trucks’ commitment to maximizing uptime for our customers through best-in-class connectivity capabilities,” said Ashraf Makki, product marketing manager at Volvo Trucks North America. “Our customers are already seeing the value in the recently introduced Parameter Plus package, which allows owners to switch between operating modes remotely, balancing fuel usage and performance to optimize the truck’s transport assignment and maximize profitability. These updates will only add to that value.”
The new parameter updates increase the potential of the nearly 17,000 Volvo trucks benefiting from over-the-air (OTA) update capabilities, the company said, delivering a higher level of accuracy and efficiency and offering increased flexibility and optimization. The new packages include more than 250 updates in categories including road speed, cruise control, transmission, idle shutdown and fuel economy.
Included in these enhancements is comfort shift, a software package that provides smoother launches when load shifting must be minimized, giving drivers a smoother start, changed gear shift strategy and gentler drive. Idle shutdown is another area of control being offered, giving authority over minimum and maximum time allotted for idleness.
The Parameter Plus package, introduced in March 2019, set the stage for the release of advanced updates such as these, Volvo said. A supplement to Volvo’s Remote Programming, the new Parameter Plus package was designed with feedback from customers to meet the demands of their applications via over-the-air updates while increasing uptime.
Average industry time for typical parameter and software updates can require two or more days of downtime, along with the added administration and costs of acquiring a supplementary truck and managing additional driver logistics. The new Parameter Plus package with OTA powertrain software updates can be completed in less than 20 minutes and parameter updates in under 10 minutes, Volvo said.