Volvo Trucks North America’s unattended over-the-air software updates are now available in trucks across the U.S. and Canada, completing a rollout the company announced in June.
The capability lets a driver start a software update, lock the truck and walk away, whether that is a 30-minute break or an overnight stop. Volvo Trucks said trucks can stay current without interrupting operations or requiring a visit to the dealership.
The all-new Volvo VNL and VNR use a 24-volt electrical architecture that expands the amount and quality of vehicle data available to support remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance and future product development. Volvo Trucks began production of the all-new VNR at its New River Valley plant in Dublin, Virginia, in February.
Over-the-air updates can change systems including engine performance, transmission and battery management without a service appointment, according to the company, which said trucks running its latest software experience 24% fewer unplanned stops.
“Technology makes our customers operations more productive,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “As software plays a greater role in improving uptime, updating the software should be as easy and convenient as possible. Now a driver can lock and leave their truck while the update runs during a break and return to a truck that is up to date and ready to go to work.”
Volvo Trucks estimates that over-the-air updates, remote diagnostics and predictive service capabilities together have helped customers avoid more than 100,000 days of unplanned downtime, which it valued at approximately $60 million in avoided costs. The estimate covers the three capabilities combined rather than software updates alone.
On the data side, with more than 220,000 connected trucks are operating across North America the advanced analytics detect patterns in fault codes, allowing it to identify potential issues before they result in unplanned stops. Technicians can pre-diagnose problems before a truck reaches the dealership, which the company credited with a 95% first-time fix rate.
“A connected truck keeps improving long after it leaves the dealership,” said Nicole Portello, senior vice president and chief digital officer, Volvo Trucks North America. “The data coming from these trucks helps us identify where we can get ahead of a potential fault code today, while also giving our engineers insights that can help shape the next generation of Volvo trucks. For fleets, the goal is not simply more data, it is providing actionable information they can use to improve their operations.”
