“Auto neutral and Paver Assist mark the latest Volvo VHD updates centered on the capabilities of the Volvo I-Shift,” says Allison Athey, Volvo Trucks product marketing manager – transmissions. “The intelligence of the I-Shift gives us a great platform for customizing application-specific solutions that make a big difference for operators across a range of applications.”
Volvo says Auto Neutral can help improve jobsite safety in many applications, including concrete mixers, where remote throttle is often used. The auto neutral feature helps reduce the possibility of the truck moving as a result of inadvertent throttle application by placing the I-Shift transmission into neutral when the parking brake is set. When the parking brake is released simply shift to “drive” for the transmission to go back into gear.
Auto Neutral will be available for order during the second quarter of 2017 for vehicles equipped with Volvo GHG 2017 engines and the latest generation Volvo I-Shift. For trucks already in service, it can be activated with the Volvo Premium Tech Tool, the company says.
Additionally, Paver Assist for the I-Shift on Volvo VHD model dump trucks helps eliminate bumps and disturbances in the pavement laying process that traditionally occur while shifting from “neutral” to “drive.” Truck operators can engage “drive” without first applying the brakes when transitioning from “neutral” and being pushed by a paver to driving operations and pulling away from the paver equipment. To do so, the driver simply shifts from neutral to drive while rolling very slowly and depressing the plus (+) button on the I-Shift shifter, Volvo says.
Paver Assist can also be used in other low-speed applications when a vehicle needs to drive away without applying the brakes, Volvo says. The feature is currently available on Volvo VHD models equipped with Volvo GHG 2017 engines and the latest generation I-Shift transmission. Paver Assist can be activated using the Volvo Premium Tech Tool.
The Volvo VHD comes standard with the 12-speed I-Shift for Severe Duty, which features hardened gears and other hardware to help withstand frequent shifting in rugged operating environments. The Volvo I-Shift with Crawler Gears, available in 13- and 14-speed versions, was introduced in March 2016. The 13-speed I-Shift with Crawler Gears helps provide improved startability on steep-grades, soft terrain, or when the truck is under heavy load. The 14-speed variant is ideal for applications like concrete pouring that require low-speed maneuverability.
