“The Volvo FH series has been a favorite among truck drivers for many years, especially for those who spend a good portion of their lives on the road,” says Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks. “With the new Volvo FH we are continuing our clear focus on designing trucks and offering services that can help drivers do a world class job.”
Driver focus helps attract skilled professionals
The emphasis on drivers is based on the significant impact they have on a haulier’s results, in terms of productivity, efficiency and customer service. “A good driver can make a huge contribution to our customer’s profitability,” continues Roger Alm. “And around the world we see a chronic shortage of skilled drivers. By launching this new truck which prioritizes the professional driver’s productivity and comfort, we have taken an important step forward in helping our customers attract and retain the best drivers.”
Interior gives drivers superior working environment
The attention given to drivers is most obvious in the updated interior working environment. Their workspace is centered around a modernized dashboard which features a fully digital 12-inch high resolution instrument display and includes a fixed cup holder and an open storage space with motion-sensor controlled lighting. The instrument display allows the driver to choose between four different screen views, depending on the driving situation and the information they prefer to have displayed.
An optional 9-inch side display can provide infotainment, navigation assistance, transport information and camera monitoring. The display, that is easy to reach, allows the driver to interact in numerous ways: with the intuitively positioned buttons on the steering wheel, through voice control, or directly via the touchscreen and display control panel.
“Easy access to a variety of information increases the driver’s ability to perform more efficiently, safely and comfortably,” states Carin Larsson, Chief Designer for User Experience and Human Machine Interaction for Volvo Trucks. “The presentation of information has improved significantly with the new displays. Demanding interactions are now concentrated on the side display, which is placed within easy reach of the driver’s seat. Distractions are therefore minimized as key driving information is shown clearly on the user-friendly and easily-viewable instrument display.”
Both the instrument display and the side display work in numerous languages.
Moving inside the cabin is easier than ever with the new slimmer, ergonomically designed I-Shift gear selector. For drivers who require much higher battery capacity, a smart dual-battery system is available that ensures that power is always held in reserve to start the engine. There is also a wide range of customization options with new fabrics and colours.
