Out of the darkness you see it. Illuminated by high intensity headlights and a strangely familiar neon-lit grille motif. Beneath the towering yet slender cab the engine hums like a German washing machine, quiet, purposeful....
Pressing the keyfob again you hear a gentle hiss as the driver's door pops open and slides back while an open plan staircase of steps slides out of the lower front valance allowing you to climb into the interior of this strange truck. And that cool interior is softly-lit like some expensive, yet understated cocktail bar...but what manner is this strange beast? And from whence did it come?
Seated in the figure hugging pre-programmed memory seat you reach out to the touch sensitive dashboard and select the instruments you want displayed during your journey...but to where and with what?
Welcome to the future my friends... and the fabulous Vision 2010 concept truck from Volvo! Biglorryblog has Aina Nilsson Ström,design director at AB Volvo to thank for this trip into the world of 21st century trucking. BLB witnessed a most engaging presentation from Aina at the recent Truck & Bus World Forum having been lucky to be one of the session chairmen--and Aina's presentation was on the role of aerodynamics in maximising truck efficiency. Amongst her slides was this selection of Vision 2020 and she's also sent me an animated video clip which I'll also post up shortly. But back to your journey...
Soon you've made your way to one of the many designated Trans-European 'Green Freight Corridors' where you're soon joined by other Vision 2020 trucks...and naturally using your integrated guidance system and adaptive cruise control with automated distance sensing it's not long before you're running in a convoy of Vision 2020 roadtrains...
At a steady 56km/h the miles just fly by, and the view from your Vision 2020 cab is outstanding....and all you can hear is the steady swoosh, swoosh, swoosh as your trundle along the road...
And those dashboard instruments are telling you everything is fine--in fact you don't see them until you need them and as the Green Corridor convoy guidance systems locks in there's even time for you to...
Stretch out, take your hands off the wheel and your feet off the pedals, lean back and relax....can it really be happening? Yes it is! And you're safe in the knowledge that the automatic guidance system has it all covered...
Now click through here for more...
And before you know it you're pulling into the depot and parking up your Vision 2020 and it's twin trailer load of heaven knows what...thanks Aina for the trip into the future! And keep an eye out for that video clip. Is this your idea of the truck of the future? Let me know. And by 2020 do you reckon Volvo's D16 diesel will be pushing out a 1000hp and 4,000Nm of torque?! I reckon at 66 I might still be driving so book me a Vision 2020 test drive now....after all age is no barrier to truck driving...right Vic?
Looks the biz. But why do you drive at 56kph - isn't that a bit slow. The miles might slide by a lot quicker if you drove at say 90kph.
Looks like an offspring of the Renault Concept trucks
Interesting how the Volvo Concept Tractor and the Scania image you used recently both show B-train trailer sets. Could it be that the Swedes are about to embrace this concept as enthusiastically as have most other nationalities?
These sketches appeared in a german truck magazine,with a interview with Rikard Orell volvo trucks chief designer about the FH successor.I think you can take one or two clues for the next cab generation.But for such a big cab what happened to the sleeper compartment?
supreme................. style
Hi Martin, if the Swedes are to embrace the B-train or any other of the EMS configurations by 2020 they will be missing a trick if they don't also adopt divisible loading units as well. If we must, one 7.82m swap body and a 15.65m semitrailer with 2 x 7.82m units on each of these road trains.
However, logic dictates 8m and 16m nominal units optimised to carry 1m and 0.8m pallets and also ideally suited to the load densities of general freight. I guess politics may well dictate otherwise. But if the EU is serious about REAL C02 cuts then rationalising the loading units and adopting a generic loading unit - say a 27' grey box - must be the important first step. Efficient and timely mode transfers (if appropriate) leading to major improvements in slot efficiency on rail or stack utilisation on river barges.
Check out my diploma project truck! Here on my blog: http://mikola-piterskiy.blogspot.com/
))
I was attracted to this article because I saw a reference to age. I am 65 and am looking into going to truck driving school to become a truck drive. Is there any advice you can provide? I realize it may sound crazy to begin a new career, but not in a position to retire and do not want to work in an office.
Thanks
Looks like an offspring of the Renault Concept trucks so
I only need to wait 10 years :D