The company on Tuesday launched Mack Over The Air (OTA), which will enable customers to update software without disrupting their schedules, increasing operational efficiency and uptime. The announcement was made at the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.
“Mack Over The Air represents the next step in Mack’s industry-leading approach to uptime,” says David Pardue, vice president of connected vehicles and uptime services for Mack Trucks. “Our customers can now make these updates whenever and wherever it is convenient for them.”
Available later this year, Pardue says Mack Over The Air will be available for all Mack models equipped with GuardDog Connect and Mack’s 2017 engines. Mack says the uptime functions of Mack Over The Air will be based at its Mack Uptime Center.
Mack says two categories of software updates are available through Mack Over The Air, one for powertrain components, and the other for vehicle parameters such optimizing performance, particularly for customers with trucks that change duty cycles based on factors such as economics, load type and geographic area.
Pardue says customers will have two options when accepting an update, pre-scheduled or requested through communication with Mack’s Uptime Center.
Additionally, Pardue says Mack Over The Air will capitalize on fully integrated Mack GuardDog Connect telematics hardware to deliver the software updates directly to customers with minimal interruption to their operations.
“Things that are designed together, work best together,” Pardue says.
GuardDog Connect comes standard on every Mack model equipped with a Mack engine. In addition to proactive monitoring and repair planning, GuardDog Connect also enables real-time diagnosis of issues, scheduling of repairs and confirmation that needed parts are in stock and ready to install. Combined with Mack ASIST and Mack’s live OneCall uptime agents, GuardDog Connect delivers the right mix of people and technology to provide decision-critical information to maximize customer uptime.
Pardue says there are more than 50,000 GuardDog Connect equipped vehicles on the road, and an overwhelming majority (70-72 percent) are operating on an extended subscription platform.
“When customers talk to you with their wallet that means something,” Pardue says.
