VEHICLES/ TECH / TranSporTaTIon/LogISTICS
MIDDLE EAST
O57/OCTOBER 2O18 PU BLI CATI O N LI CENSED BY D U BAI PRO D U CTI O N CIT Y
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contents
contents FEATURE
20 / pUTTing iT On ThE LinE
T&FME travels to Lyon to look at Renault Truck’s stateof-the-art production line.
also this issue … nETWORK
06 / nEWs FROm ThE mOnTh
06
12
14
26
32
36
The launch of Vera signals the beginning to full autonomy in closed transport and logistics hubs. LAUnChEs
12 / ThE dARing sEdAn The Toyota Avalon’s designer travels to Dubai to talk about re-defining the Sedan. inTERViEW
14 / pOWEREd gEnERATiOn How Scania hopes to transform the way we think about trucks and profitability. FEATURE
26 / dRiVERs ChALLEngEd Middle East drivers take on the rest of the world at Volvo Trucks’ Driver Challenge 2018. WORKshOp
30 / TyREs TRACKEd Continental says its new V.ply portfolio is bigger, faster, safer, greener, smarter. FEATURE
32 / iAA pREViEW The best of the rest from the commercial vehicles event of the year. FEATURE
36 / dOn’T BAn diEsEL Daimler issues open letter to industry fighting for a future for diesel engines.
OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 01
WELCOME
GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5483 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5472 EDITORIAL EDITOR StEpHEN wHItE stephen.white@cpitrademedia.com +44 7541 244 377
we can Drive with the best September saw the return of the biannual Volvo Driver Challenge. This was the biggest yet with 12,000 drivers competing for a spot at the final held at the Volvo complex close to Gothenburg. With 33 drivers travelling from all ends of the earth, the first day saw nervy faces from Australia, Chile, China and South Africa line-up to take on two tracks that would test their skills, productivity and patience. For the first time among them were drivers from the Middle East as well as East and North Africa. Most drivers I’ve met here in the past decade have told me that they rarely travel to anywhere bar the country where they work and where they call their home. Watching them mingle with their peers from across the globe was a sight that will stay with me forever. They weren’t the only ones that found the experience a real eye opener. Shuttling between the race days, I spent time talking with a veteran Australian driver who had to get his first ever passport to travel to Sweden. Used to driving the long highways of southern Australia, he had hoped that his wife – a true country girl, he told me – would’ve been able to join him. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be but through the jet-lag he told me he was determined to enjoy his few days in Sweden. As was Younes Khan who works for Peshawar General Transport in the UAE. Translated through company manager Niseem Ullah, I was told that he comes from a family known as drivers in his home village in Pakistan. When it was his turn he strode confidently onto the course and would emerge as the second best driver in the Middle East. He returns to Dubai with bragging writes safely stowed under his reputation. The highest ranking drivers came from Europe. This may be possibly because they were partly rated for their fuel consumption – a long-standing way to monitor their performance. They’ve also been participating for a number of years and experience counts when you’re competing at the highest level. Our drivers, however, proved that they belong in this company and the margins between positions were narrow. Hopefully, Volvo can keep them involved as it would be great to see their improvement over the coming years. Personally, I found it inspiring to talk to the drivers and the owners to hear them talk about efficiency and safety. The perceived wisdom is that the interest in them is relatively low in the region but this was challenged head-on in Sweden. Having pushed their importance for many years, it was fantastic to hear the message from the transporters there that it is creeping into the Middle East industry. The marker has been set!
sUB EDITOR AELRED DOYLE aelred.doyle@cpitrademedia.com ADVERTIsING sENIOR sALEs MANAGER BIpIN SONEJI bipin.soneji@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 433 2856 DEsIGN ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON simon.cobon@cpitrademedia.com DEsIGNER pERCIVAL MANALAYSAY percival.manalaysay@cpitrademedia.com PHOTOGRAPHY MAKSYM pORIECHKIN maksym.poriechkin@cpitrademedia.com MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER SHEENA SApSfORD sheena.sapsford@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5498 CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER VIpIN V. VIJAY vipin.vijay@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713 DIsTRIBUTION MANAGER pHINSON MAtHEw GEORGE phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5476 WEB DEVELOPMENT MOHAMMAD AwAIS SADIQ SIDDIQUI fINANCE ACCOUNTs NAHEED HOOD naheed.hood@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5474 CREDIT CONTROL ExECUTIVE CAMERON CARDOZO cameron.cardozo@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5499 fOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) PRINTED BY pRINtwELL pRINtING pRESS LLC
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CONSTRUCTION
SURvey fINdS UAe CONSTRUCTION INdUSTRy IS geNeRALLy POSITIve ON ShORT TeRM PROSPeCTS
CAMCO awarded flagship Riyadh Metro O&M contract for Lines 1 & 2
CONSULTANT
Aurecon bolsters Middle East expertise with two new appointments
feature: Asbestos – fighting a silent killer in the UAe
CONSTRUCTION
Siemens wins eight year O&M contract in Egypt
CONSULTANT
Hyperloop TT creates first draft of core safety requirements and certifications
CONSTRUCTION
Nakheel awards Ali Mousa & Sons Contracting $150mn Dragon Towers contract 04 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
feature: Women in Construction – Tatjana dzambazova, AI strategist, Autodesk
This result is so split you are left with coming to your own half-empty and half-full assessment of what is going on in the market as we reach the final quarter of 2018. Certainly, when you are told that suppliers, contractors and consultants in the UAE construction industry share a ‘generally positive’ outlook for the next six months, you are left wondering what that means. While I agree that it is important for construction companies to have a set of indicators to serve “macroeconomic and operation management” purposes by anticipating events, I’m not entirely sure how much store we can put into the results of a survey that is only looking six months ahead. Particularly, as most people will have a highly objective view based on their own experience. However, as pointed out in the story, changes in the oil price and laws should make the medium/long term prospects look brighter. Name withheld by request
HYUNDAI’s the World’s First Fuel Cell Electric Truck Hyundai Motor Will Bring the World’s First Fleet of Fuel Cell Electric Truck into Commercial Operation
Hyundai Motor Company affirmed at the ‘IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018’ in Hanover that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Swiss hydrogen company H2 Energy (H2E).
Beginning in 2019 and over a five year period Hyundai Motor and H2 Energy, Swiss Hydrogen Company, will provide 1,000 heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks and an adequate supply chain for renewable hydrogen. The fuel cell electric truck is being developed according to European regulations. It features a new 190kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two fuel cell systems connected in parallel, also a feature of NEXO. It is expected to deliver a single-fueling travel range of approximately 400km, and in order to secure sufficient range, eight large hydrogen tanks are being compactly installed, utilizing areas such as between the cabin and the rigid body. The fuel cell electric truck boasts a distinctive design. It is presented in a simple and clean design which is also aerodynamically efficient, and features a spoiler and side protector. The front grille symbolizes hydrogen through geometric shapes, giving the vehicle a unique and powerful look. The vehicle emanates an eco-friendly look with a blue color application and a bold side body graphic on the container, which also visualizes its dynamic character. Fuel cell electric powertrain technology has advantages over battery electric powertrain technology in its applications to larger vehicles such as trucks and buses. Fuel cell technology saves space and reduces weight as well as being more cost efficient to apply as the vehicle size increases. Therefore, the technology is deemed to have a wide array of opportunities to be utilized in the commercial vehicle field.
Fuel cell electric truck specification (4x2 cargo truck) * Specification
Truck
Gross Vehicle Weight
18 ton (GCW 34 ton with trailer)
Length x Width x Height
9,745 mm x 2,550 mm x 3,730 mm
Wheelbase
5,130 mm
To cater to growing opportunities in the sector, Hyundai plans to diversify its fuel cell electric commercial vehicle line-up. Currently under development is the medium sized fuel cell electric truck (Payload: 4~5ton) which can be used in the public services domain such as vehicles used for cleaning.
Driving Range
Apprximately 400 km
Hydrogen Refueling Time
7 min
Tank Capacity / Pressure
32.86 kgH2 / 350 bar
Fuel Cell Stack Power
190 kW (2 x 95 kW)
Hyundai Motor began the world’s first fuel cell electric vehicle lease in the United States, also supporting its wider transport industry, including FCEV taxis, and car-sharing services to further support the spread of eco-friendly technology usage.
Traction Motor
350 kW / 3,400 Nm (471PS / 346 kgf·m)
Safety Features
FCA, LDW **
trucknbus.hyundai.com www.facebook.com/hyundaiCV
Partner in Every Way. Hyundai TRUCK & BUS
* Vehicle under development and production model specification may vary. ** FCA: Front Collision Avoidance Assist, LDW: Lane Departure Warning.
NETWORK
VOLVO LAUNCH VERA AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE / EV CHARGING IN DUBAI LARGE INCREASES IN DIESEL PRICES IN UAE / INFINITI BOOSTS SALES
network Volvo Trucks launches autonomous Vera A “VEHICLE LIKE NO OTHER” READY FOR TRIALS, T&FME TOLD TECHNOLOGY T&FME has been told by Volvo Trucks International that its new concept logistics vehicle VERA could soon be deployed on trials to explore its viability in real-world situations. Vera was unveiled last month in the run up to IAA and is intended to offer companies continuous transport services inside and between fixed hubs. Vera can be used for regular and repetitive tasks characterised by relatively short distances, large volumes of goods and high delivery precision. Transports
between logistic hubs are typical examples, but additional use cases can also be applicable, said Volvo. “The full potential of the transport industry is yet to be seen. Everything suggests that the global need for transportation will continue to significantly increase in the coming decade. If we are to meet this demand in a sustainable and efficient way, we must find new solutions,” said Claes Nilsson, president Volvo Trucks. “In order to secure a smoothly functioning goods flow system we also need to exploit existing
infrastructure better than currently. The transport system can be an important complement to today’s solutions and can help meet many of the challenges faced by society, transport companies and buyers.” The operation is handled by autonomous electric vehicles linked to a cloud service and a transport control centre. The vehicles are equipped with sophisticated systems for autonomous driving. They are designed to locate their current position to within centimetres, monitor in detail and analyse what is
happening with other road users, and then respond with high accuracy. “Our system can be seen as an extension of the advanced logistics solutions that many industries already apply today. Since we use autonomous vehicles with no exhaust emissions and low noise, their operation can take place at any time of day or night. The solution utilises existing road infrastructure and load carriers, making it easier to recoup costs and allowing for integration with existing operations,” explains Mikael Karlsson, VP Autonomous Solutions.
12,000 COMPETITORS TOOK PART IN THIS YEAR’S VOLVO DRIVER CHALLENGE INCLUDING THOSE FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
06 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
NETWORK
DIESEL RISE OF 44.6% IN ABU DHABI OVER 12 MONTHS
EV CHARGING HEADS DEWA’S GREEN DUBAI ELECTRIC VEHICLES
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced ‘Green Dubai’, comprising three initiatives designed to make Dubai the smartest, happiest and most sustainable city in the world. DEWA says the move empowers customers to make sustainable decisions that contribute to protecting the environment and natural resources. Shams Dubai, which encourages building owners to install photovoltaic solar panels and connect them to DEWA’s grid, is part of Green Dubai. According to the utility company, over 1,145 buildings have already been connected and contribute nearly 50MW of energy. The ‘Green Charger’ initiative is also part of Green Dubai and will see the installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations. To date, DEWA has installed over 100 Green Chargers across the city and aims to grow the number to 200 stations by the end of this year. To encourage its customers to use eco-friendly electric vehicles, DEWA is providing free charging for electric cars registered in the Green Charger initiative until the end of 2019. “Green Dubai aims to empower customers to adopt a conscious and responsible lifestyle through the sensible use of electricity and water. This supports the Demand Side Management Strategy to reduce electricity and water use by 30% by 2030, generating clean solar energy, and encouraging the use of eco-friendly electric vehicles,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and chief executive of DEWA. ‘High Water Usage Alert’ is the third initiative under Green Dubai and aims to help customers identify leaks in their water connections and curb wastage. The system sends notifications to customers if there are unusual increases in consumption according to DEWA, which helps the customer to check and repair leaks with the help of a specialised technician. “Environmental work requires concerted efforts to achieve a balance between development and the environment, to protect the rights of future generations to enjoy a clean, healthy, and safe environment,” Al Tayer added.
FUEL The cost of diesel increased by 44.6% between July 2017 and 2018, according to a report examining construction costs in the Emirate published by Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD). SCAD’s analysis of the prices of the 21 main groups of building materials also that both electrical wires for apartments (up 23.9%) and wires for small buildings (up 16.2%) also saw price increases. Elsewhere, the average prices
of tiles and marble fell by 0.7% and concrete by 0.5%. There is better news in the shortterm for diesel with SCAD’s analysis of prices between June 2018 and July 2018 demonstrating that the fuel fell by 1.8% between the two months. There were also price falls recorded for power cables of 4.8% and marble of 1.7%. The average price of construction labour increased by 1.8% between June and July with concrete alsorising by 1.6% and aggregates and sand by 0.3%.
INIFINTI GOES BEYOND 300% IN SALES INCREASE RETAIL Arabian Automobiles has revealed a 300% increase in bookings for INFINITI’s lineup when compared with the same period the month prior, and a 35% improvement over the same period last year. From 9-11August, INFINITI ran its annual One Weekend One Time Offer campaign and saw an increase in showroom footfall and inquiries. According to the distributor, there were three main reasons for this year’s success including exceptional
deals that heightened interest in its lineup, attracting a growing number of visitors to its showrooms. It also said that due to the previous success of the campaign, customers anticipated the promotions and value additions on offer leading to a 48% increase in showroom traffic and inquiries during the month compared to the same period last month (with a bump-up of 50% in conversions). It also praised the success of a marketing campaign that saw it reach the widest possible audience and potential customers.
OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 07
NETWORK
ADFD APPROVES $33M LOAN FOR W2E IN UAE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has announced that it will fund the development of a 30MW wasteto-energy facility in Sharjah. The national entity has approved a $33 million concessionary loan for the project, which follows on from its initial commitment to
the project earlier in the year. The project is said to be the second of its kind in the MENA region and will be the flagship project of the Emirates Waste to Energy Company, a JV between Masdar and Bee’ah. The facility is being built to help Sharjah achieve its zero-waste-to-landfill target and the UAE’s objective of diverting 75% of
municipal waste from landfills by 2021. The facility is said to be an important step in translating the UAE’s sustainability objectives into reality, says Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, the director general of ADFD, after signing the deal with Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, the chief executive of Masdar, and Khaled Al Huraimel, the group chief executive of Bee’ah.“ADFD is also keen on reinforcing the key pillars of the national economy by supporting local companies.” The project is expected to begin operations early in 2021 and is estimated to treat more than 300,000 tonnes of solid waste per year. It will have the capacity to generate around 30MW of energy.
KSA TO UPGRADE BUS SERVICES FOR PILGRIMS BUSES Saudi Arabia’s Hajj minister has said that the Kingdom’s holy sites will undergo a major facelift in the near future, with more bus services for pilgrims and increased capacity the focus of the upgrade. According to an Arab News report, Mohammed bin Saleh Banten was quoted as saying that there is a ‘comprehensive, integrated plan to develop the Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat altogether’. He added that
there is a royal commission – chaired by HH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – for Makkah and the holy sites. This massive project will focus on improving services for pilgrims, increasing capacity and upgrading safety and security systems, as part of efforts to ease the Hajj Pilgrimage, he said. Banten confirmed that this year’s Hajj was going as planned and was living up to pilgrim’s expectations. The
arrival of pilgrims to their destinations was much more accurate, thanks to the efforts of all related bodies, he added. “Modern technology has also contributed to this success. All buses are equipped with the latest technology to guide them to the correct locations. As for grouping the pilgrims, we have also set up precise plans to make sure that pilgrims can safely get to their endpoints,” the minister added.
new director for LincoLn MiddLe east RETAIL
Lincoln has appointed Sarah Rae to the position of director, Lincoln Middle East, replacing Alex Schaeffer, who repatriated to Dearborn, Michigan, to take up a new position in Ford Motor Company. In her new role, Rae will lead Lincoln’s operations in the Middle East as the luxury automotive brand continues to expand its business in the region. She will report to Metelo Arias, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Services, Ford Middle East and Africa. “This is an exciting time for Lincoln across the Middle East,” said Met Arias, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Services, Ford Middle East and Africa. “We continue to expand our offering with products such as the new Navigator – enjoying unprecedented demand in the full-size luxury SUV segment – and the upscale Presidential line, while we drive the delivery of a luxury experience from start to finish across our dealerships. “Today, the Lincoln brand is well on track to become the fastestgrowing automotive brand in the luxury segment. It is important to have someone of Sarah’s experience and brand understanding at the helm to continue to build on this strong momentum the brand has gained in the Middle East. Arias added.: “She brings a deep knowledge of the region to the position, and we’re excited to welcome her new role.” Lincoln’s sales in the Middle East have skyrocketed in the first half of 2018, up an estimated 28% over the same period last year.
READ ON AS T&FME TRAVELS TO LYON WITH RENAULT, STOCKHOLM WITH SCANIA AND jOINS THE VOLVO DRIVER CHALLENGE 2018
08 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
NETWORK
MAjID AL FUTTAIM INSTALLING FREE EV CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES
rapid access facing rebranding after LoxaM acquisition RENTAL
Regional powered access solutions major Rapid Access has announced that it will roll out a new brand identity after its parent company, the UK’s Lavendon Group, was acquired by French equipment rental giant Loxam Group. The French company bought Rapid Access’ parent group last year to create the largest rental company in Europe and the Middle East, and the third largest rental company in the world. A statement from Rapid Access said that it has operated in the Middle East for over 20 years, providing industry-leading service and expertise in working at height. The acquisition by Loxam Group enables Rapid Access to build upon its reputation with customers to leverage the group’s global experience in service provision to the world’s largest clients and contractors, the statement added. “The acquisition by Loxam Group has allowed us to continue investment in our service capabilities across the GCC, while maintaining the same high levels of service that have come to be expected of Rapid Access,” said Paul Rankin, MD, Rapid Access. “We feel it is time to recognise this next stage of our evolution as we further establish our company as the preferred supplier of AWPs in the Middle East. These changes give us an opportunity to refresh the brand as we move forward, reinforcing our strong identity as we continue to provide the same outstanding service to our customers.”
10 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
In an effort to promote green transportation in Dubai, Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) has announced that it will add four electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to its City Centre Me’aisem shopping mall this year. The facility will be free to use for mall visitors and will be secured, so that only visitors with EVs will be able to park in the dedicated spots. According to a statement, the initiative is part of MAF’ssustainability strategy, which is designed to bring ‘innovations and convenient green solutions to its destinations to encourage the community to reduce its carbon footprint’. “As Dubai forges ahead to create a smart, happy and eco-friendly city, we want to do our part by making it more
convenient for residents who adopt a sustainable lifestyle and provide them with a memorable experience whenever they visit us. While they shop at their favourite stores, dine and take advantage of our leisure offerings, their cars can be docked at the designated spots to be fully
powered up,” said Maryam Ahli, mall manager at City Centre Me’aisem. MAF said that instructions on how to use the charging facilities are displayed at the stations. The mall operator also said that customers who require further assistance can contact onsite traffic marshals.
KUWAIT BEGINS WORK ON PORT-LINKED RAILWAY LOGISTICS Kuwait officials have said that work has begun on a 111-km railway project that will connect country to the rest of the GCC states. According to a report by Al Anba newspaper, Phase One of the project will see a new line being built to Nuwaiseb on the Saudi border, and a 153-km long line linking Kuwait City with Boubyan Port. Citing senior officials, the report added that Phase One will cost an estimated $3 billion. Kuwait aims to complete the project on the specified dates, as per the GCC’s
general secretariat plan, the report said, explaining that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar will operate the new Gulf States Railway in 2021, while Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman will take over in 2023. In March 2017, a senior official said that the multibillion-dollar GCC railway project would likely be delayed due to infrastructural and technical problems. A report by Kuwait Times quoted Abdul Raheem Naqi, the secretary general of the Federation of GCC Chambers, as saying that Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman had
made significant progress in domestically executing the project and linking cities together via railroads, but that Kuwait had faced several obstacles in developing the railway project in recent years, primarily due to farms and private properties that lay in the way of the proposed route. Relevant government bodies working on the project also had to make sure that the route did not conflict with existing oil facilities. Construction work on the project was originally scheduled to start in 2018, is now pencilled in for 2020, he said at the time.
PERFECT CROSSING
Discover the IVECO world and all its news on: www.iveco.com, Middle East area. Or call now the IVECO Representative Office: 00971 4 2994935
BEST PAYLOAD IN THE INDUSTRY Payload up to 20 ton on a 6x4 chassis with Large “C” section chassis
CONTINUOUS OPERATION Higher autonomy thanks to the Cursor engine that allow to reduce fuel consumption
ON-ROAD EXCELLENCE. OFF-ROAD ENDURANCE.
OUTSTANDING TCO Thanks to 11.2% fuel saving tested by TÜV on the New Stralis, optimised driveline and disk brakes
MODULAR AND MISSION-ORIENTED RANGE New front axle (off road) that guarantee an higher ground clereance Robust chassis for light off-road missions
LAUNCHES
TOYOTA BRINGS OVER THE MAN BEHIND THE AVALON TO DUBAI / IS THE NEW AUDI A7 SpORTBACk THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS?
lau nches pRICES FROM
144,900 AED (InCL VAT)
The daring Sedan AVALON’S DESIGNER IN THE UAE TO TALk CREATING AUTHENTICITY AND ExHILARATION The fifth generation Toyota Avalon was launched in the UAE by Al-Futtaim Toyota last month with chief engineer Randy Stephens in town to discuss taking the model in a new direction. The Avalon is considered one of the most spacious vehicles in its class as well as for its modern styling and fuel economy. Toyota is also using the car to set benchmarks for its other vehicles, so the many changes to the model will inevitably filter into the other ranges. Talking at the press launch Stephens explained that he and his team challenged themselves to design a daring Sedan drawing on the two
12 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
key themes of “authenticity and exhilaration”. “Authenticity refers to a design that is purposeful with the use of premium material, while Exhilaration is expressed through a thrilling performance that inspires confidence,” he told the media. He added that the Avalon is based on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform - which represents an entirely new strategy to the way the company designs, engineers, and packages its vehicles, providing a “comfortable and stable ride with superior handling characteristics and enhanced by a new
fuel-efficient 3.5l V6 engine and a host of comfort and safety features that are complemented by Toyota Safety Sense, the 2019 Toyota Avalon embodies an overarching desire for high-caliber, design-centric, and technologically-savvy modes of premium yet attainable” transportation. Since its UAE debut in 1995, one year after its global launch, the Avalon has enjoyed a reputation for ride quality, comfort and roomy interior space and Al-Futtaim are happy to promote it as commuter for long distances between the Emirates. “We are extremely pleased to launch the much
anticipated 2019 Toyota Avalon in the UAE,” said Saud Abbasi, managing Director of Al-Futtaim Toyota at launch. “Everything about this car from the luxurious details and interior comfort, to the smart safety features and the enhanced technology elements, will take the Toyota driving experience to the next level. I invite all our customers in to book a test drive and experience this magnificent vehicle.” Avalon’s new look reflects the mixture of performance-focused personality, invigorating driver experience, and a premium, spacious image. The new multi-link rear
LAUNCHES
audi puts the sport back into its coupe NEW AUDI A7 SpORTBACk COMES TO THE REGION
SMOOTH pRECISION The engine is also mated to an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission that merges smooth, precise gear selection throughout the RPM range allowing better fuel efficiency and on-demand power.
ExTRAS TO THE TRIM The new Avalon’s exterior is now longer, lower, and wider than before.
suspension allows for the enhancement of many performance attributes, such as a wider rear track, lower centre of gravity, and an aggressive stance. Drivers can also adjust Avalon’s ride feel with the simple press of a button – Normal mode prioritises comfort, while Sport emphasizes handling with tighter, highly responsive footing. The new 3.5l V6 engine produces a maximum output of 298 hp and 356 Nm of torque and is equipped with a Direct Injection
4-Stroke Gasoline Engine Superior Version (D-4S) and Variable Valve Timing-intelligent Wide (VVT-iW) systems to achieve top-notch power performance, environmental performance, and fuel efficiency.
The new A7 Sportback represents the new Audi design language and delivers on the design promise made by the prologue concept car studies. The four-door coupe sets standards in the luxury class when it comes to progressiveness. It embodies a new style of Gran Turismo, with dynamic lines, systematic digitalisation, a sporty driving experience and a versatile space concept. The body, which features steel and aluminum composite construction with large components such as add-on parts made of aluminum, is a key factor in the improved handling and greater comfort. The four-door coupe scores top marks with respect to body stiffness, aeroacoustics and aerodynamics. The Gran Turismo spoils its passengers with improved acoustic comfort and – thanks to sophisticated aerodynamics – minimal wind noise. The top chassis-related innovation is dynamic-all-wheel steering. It combines direct, sporty steering response with unshakable stability, resolving the conflict of aims between agility and comfort. The steering ratio varies as a function of speed between 9.5:1 and 16.5:1 by means of active steering interventions at the front and rear axle. At the front axle, strain wave gearing is used to superimpose these in response to the driver’s steering input. At the rear axle, a spindle drive turns the wheels by as much as 5 degrees. At low speed, they steer counter to the front wheels to further increase the
agility of the big coupe when parking or driving in urban traffic, for example. This reduces the turning circle at full lock by 1.1m. At 60 km/h and above, the rear axle steers in the same direction to increase straightline stability and facilitate lane changes. The A7 Sportback comes standard with a new mild hybrid system (MHEV) for greater comfort and efficiency. With the V6 engine, this uses a 48-volt primary electrical system. A belt alternator starter (BAS) works together with a lithium-ion battery and achieves a recuperation performance of up to 12 kW when braking. At speeds between 55 and 160 km/h, the four-door coupe can coast in freewheeling mode with the engine deactivated and then restarted comfortably via the BAS. The start-stop function has been significantly expanded and now activates at 22 km/h. In combination with the standard front camera, the engine is restarted predictively while at a standstill as soon as vehicle ahead begins to move. In real-world driving, the MHEV technology reduces fuel consumption by up to 0.7l per 100km. SpECIFICATIONS MHEV economy
0.7l per 100km
Loading width
1.05m
Luggage capacity
1,390l
price (incl VAT)
AED 315,000
pRICES FROM 315,000 AED (InCL VAT)
SpECIFICATIONS Engine
3.5l V6
power
298hp
Torque
356nm
Wheelbase
2,870mm
Transmission 8-spd price (SE+)
AED 144,900
price (LG)
AED 164,900
A NEW LANGUAGE represents a new Audi says the new A7 Spor tback manufacturer. an Germ the for age langu n desig
OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 13
FEATURE
SCania iS moving on
T&FME visits Scania in Sweden to learn why the company wants to move away from talking about TCO 14 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
FEATURE
o
ften described as the Venice of the north, Stockholm with its waterfront stucco buildings and adorning balconies is every bit the renaissance city it has been compared to. Travelling 30km outside the city to a vast, rocky bowl dotted with industrial housing and factory plants, you would be forgiven if you thought Scania’s global headquarters in Södertälje was an entirely new country. However, this is a company that is enjoying its very own renaissance. Its New Truck Generation was immediately hailed as the International Truck of the Year when it received its premiere at IAA 2016 and has continued to be lauded with awards ever since, including the coveted Green Truck award in 2017. The year also witnessed the launch of its ruggedised XT construction range and the company celebrated the upcoming 50th anniversary of its V8 engine with a new Euro 6 version created at its engine development housed minutes from the main offices in Södertälje. Indeed, when it comes to engines, Scania is also one of the best in the world. It has continued to add to its line-up and with the launch of a plug-in hybrid truck at IAA no other manufacturer can match its range of alternative fuel engines; whether you’re looking for biogas, bioethanol, LNG… well, you get the picture. The company has also switched gears on its production, successfully implementing a series of internal changes to ensure that it was ready for the New Truck Generation. Quickly into T&FME’s visit of the chassis plant it was obvious that this is a company which is moving away from the traditional approach to the commercial vehicles industry. Our guide tells us that Scania has been using the Japanese philosophies of just in time and lean production for a number of years, but it is also one of the nimblest and progressive lines the magazine has seen. Senior management are encouraged to hold meetings within shared areas between the moving line of axle and cab assemblies. Crews move between stations when required to help others that may be falling behind the ticking clock which tells them how long they have to work on the chassis. It’s also an incredibly diverse line with dozens of languages spoken and women making up a considerable number of the workforce. “We feel that the women here calm the macho-ness of the factory. They make a huge positive impact,” we are told. When Volkswagen’s CEO Andreas
TOwARdS ElECTRiFiCATiOn Visitors to IAA at the end of September were able to see Scania’s present vision of alternative fuel engines and trucks. With the company prepared to wait for battery technology to catch-up with the demands of heavy trucks before it feels ready to launch a fully electric vehicle in the class, Åslund points out it currently has the broadest offer when it comes to “alternative engines for alternative fuels.” “Our trucks can run on liquefied natural gas or biogas but where that’s not available we have HVO (Hydrated Vegetable Oil). This is an excellent fuel. We need all these choices today because in some parts of the world fuels like natural gas are not available,” he remarks. “Take bioethanol for example. It’s quite easy and cheap to produce, you can replace diesel with this but availability is always the issue. You need all these variants, it’s quite expensive for us but we think it’s necessary.” At the centre of its presence at IAA was its PHEV plug-in hybrid truck. Based on the New Truck Generation, it combines a five-cylinder motor with a 130kW e-motor and a 7.4kWh battery. It takes 20 minutes to recharge the battery. T&FME was fortunate to
use the non plug-in HEV in Sweden and was impressed by its ability to recharge when the brakes were applied and the ability to ‘ghost’ in full electric mode. Despite its limited 10kmrange, you can imagine being able to silently manoeuvre in and out of a DC or city centre at night using the electric mode. “And if you run the internal combustion engine on HVO and use the full capacity from the hybrid you can have a great deal of fuel savings as well as saving tailpipe emissions,” Åslund tells T&FME. When asked why Scania is focussing on the HEVs when others are prepared to sell the idea of a fully electric heavy truck, Aslund is blunt. “You could put out a PR truck but you have all kinds of problems when you when you put in their huge batteries which are heavy and expensive. In reality you have to pay the price upfront because you can’t count any residual value as stands today,” he replies. “Our stance for the moment is simple: for the here and now, a hybrid is the best solution we have for the customers that are actually paying for a truck to operate on a daily basis. We believe that eventually most trucks will be electrified but we’re not there yet.”
Renschler said the company was prepared to float its truck and bus operation as TRATON he said the company wanted to create an agile force in commercial vehicles that had the spirit of a start-up. While those words were strung together to tempt investors, it is clear that this spirit is being encouraged where it arguably matters most; at the heart of Scania’s engine, axle and gearbox production. Minutes away from the hustle of the factories is the Marcus Wallenberg Hall which houses a museum dedicated to Scania and serves as a reminder to all visitors of how the company has reached this point of its history. Through it you can journey from the company’s origins and vehicles from the 1891 through 1911 when Scania-Vabis was formed (from the merger of car and rail carriage manufacturer Vabis with Malmo’s fellow car- and bicycle- maker Scania) up until today’s New Truck Generation. “In the early 1920s they understood that trucks and buses were the future for the company,” Örjan Åslund, manager, product affairs, trucks, tells T&FME inside the hall. It was a decision that proved to be remarkably prescient. “This company has been profitable ever since 1934,” he adds. Also remarkable is that with TRATON Group set to embark on the capital markets by the end of the year, Scania is enjoying one of its best terms yet. Pushing harder than ever to get close to its markets, it is excelling despite the stuttering global economy. “When it comes to the turnover of deliveries last year, it was at an alltime high (at 90,777 including 82,472 trucks). We keep earning money,” says Åslund. “We are also growing in Asia, North Africa and Latin America.” While the company has scored further success in the Middle East, when it comes to Europe, Mercedes remains the market leader. Aslund flattens his hands and switches each up and down to signify how Scania tussles with fellow Swedish giant Volvo for the other spots in the top tier of brands in the market. “Volvo and Scania are going like this all the time,” he remarks as his hands move. “Mercedes and Volvo are our main competitors.” Pausing to grin, he adds, “But Germany was our biggest in 2017 (at 7,214 deliveries). ” Everything within the truck business of Scania is currently spinning around the continuing roll-out – the largest in its history – of the New Truck Generation
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which began with the launch two years ago. Åslund says that the company is focused on finding ways such as tailored products and services to change the sales conversation about its newest trucks from purely being about how much they cost a fleet to how the vehicles can make an impact on revenue and profit. “People have been selling trucks for more than 100 years by saying that they are fuel efficient; they can carry more goods; and they don’t break down. That is the traditional way,” he remarks. “We can increase on those but we can also increase on the revenue side by tailoring our solutions. Scania is changing in the market. We can see a lot of consolidation in the market with more professional buyers and they are attracted by this message. “ He continues: “We know if we help our customers to earn money, we will earn money in the end. With the introduction of a new generation we have re-defined premium. We said to offer profitability is the new premium. Scania has always focussed on customer profitability, now we have better means of doing it and achieving it by helping them with tailored solutions.” One of the great contributions Scania has made to the heavy truck industry was the introduction of modular production by its then-technical director Sverker Sjöström who obsessed on finding a way of using a limited amount of main components to make a limitless number of truck variants. A project that started in the 1960s, the challenge was so great it took until 1980 for Scania to release its first modularised range (the GPRT). Sjöström’s legacy lives on in the production and the number of
A glOBAl MAnUFACTURER Scania has factories and plants based across the globe. Production of New Generation Trucks for the Middle East is likely to be based in Europe however.
ways the latest trucks can be configured. “It’s not just the engines but also the cabs and everything: frames, axles, gearboxes, engines. It’s an ingenious system that makes us capable of delivering tailormade solutions for all kinds of customers in a smart way,” explains Åslund. With a large number of options available to customers, he says that Scania breaks down its trucks into 38 different application categories to provide fleet customers a base to build their final truck upon. “A tipper in Germany compared to a tipper in England or Taiwan will certainly look quite different as they are working under
our CEo has a simple message: companies that aren’t sustainable they won’t sustain”
different regulations, but they always have something in common. That is why we can divide our offering into these applications. From there we can do fine-tuning due to local regulations and local demands, and what the customer needs when it comes to operations, and the environment there,” he says. Modern trucks are more than just steel and rubber, and, like others, Scania is working in the realms of data and digitalisation. However, it has been able to benefit from timing the change to a new generation with the industry’s evolution towards emobility and connectivity services based on getting more information than ever before on how a truck is performing. Again, he says, this is helping to design trucks that meet the specific needs of customers. Even after they’ve purchased the truck. “We can get a lot of data from our trucks today. Of course, we use it in our development processes; we know a lot about how our trucks are used and what the customers demand. But today we have better tools than ever before. Connectivity has made great contributions because it’s so important if you can nail down every aspect of the truck, we’ll certainly give you more money back in the end to the customer. “Think about every small detail and all the mileage these trucks are doing. If you can carry some more goods, if you can say just an extra percent fuel, it all adds up to great money in the end over five years in. So, any the data that you’re gathering from the connected vehicles can be used to sharpen or better define what is needed.” A further, crucial, advantage is being able to accurately tell when a truck should come in for maintenance and servicing – or even when it shouldn’t.
OpTiMiSEd TRAnSpORT SySTEMS hElp UAE REACh iTS SUSTAinABiliTy gOAlS According to The Pathways Study initiated by Scania carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions can be reduced by over 20% by simply optimising transport systems and contribute to the UAE National Agenda 2021’s Sustainable Environment and Infrastructure. The Pathways Study analyses the possibilities of achieving fossil-free commercial transport by 2050, including examining the financing and infrastructure required in order to meet sustainable transportation system goals. Exploring alternatives will pave the way to a fossil-free
future. Achieving a fossil-free commercial transport system in the timeframe of the Paris Agreement target (by 2050) is both environmentally sustainable and financially attractive. Scania is heavily focused on delivering energy efficiency, alternative fuels and electrification, as well as smart and safe transport. In the region, EPPCO/ENOC has been using Euro 5 Scania engines for two years. A number of Scania’s customers have also started using CNG engine vehicles. However, Özcan Barmoro, managing
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director of Scania Middle East urges the entire transportation industry to adopt rapid and immediate change in order to contribute to the 2050 targets. “Significant progress must be made by 2025, in terms of implementing new technologies, infrastructure, partnerships, and behaviours,” he said. “We welcome the UAE’s decision to implement Euro 4 for heavy duty vehicles. The UAE already has the fuel quality to move to Euro 6; we hope and expect other Gulf countries follow the UAE’s example.”
ChAngE iS nEEdEd Özcan Barmoro says Scania believes that innovation, profitabilit y and sustainability can, and should, go hand in hand.
FEATURE
ThE CAB FACTORy OF ThE FUTURE – nOw Scania built the world’s most modern cab factory for its new truck ranges. 283 high-tech robots work alongside their operators on both the body works and the base paint works.
A nEw METhOd The New Truck Generation was an opportunity to re-think the way that Scania made its heavy trucks, says Örjan Åslund. “It is a new production method, a new construction. You learn from every generation. We reached the same build quality measured by warranty claims in one year that took 20 years to reach with the previous generation. We were extremely pleased with the quality of the previous generation but reaching the same target within a year with a new generation was remarkable.”
“Our latest success has been in selling services with our flexible maintenance programme. Traditionally, we have maintained trucks based on mileage per year. That is basically gone. We can now see exactly the right amount of usage and provide exactly the right amount of service and maintenance for our trucks,” Åslund explains. “We can see if a truck has done very light work, low mileage, light work…which means the oil lasts longer. So, in the end what’s the upside for the customer? It’s fewer days in the workshop. More uptime. We can even prevent breakdowns.” Ironically, he suggests that, rather than taking away the need for human interaction, Scania wants to use the data it is retrieving from trucks from across the globe as a way of delivering a personal touch to fleets wherever they are. “Because we have all this data, we can have a dialogue with the customer that is closer than ever before. (What we’re telling them) is not gut feeling, it’s based on actual data,” he stops to give an example. “‘Hey Bill, I have checked this out. I think the way you drive and the operation you have, I think the next truck you buy we should change your gearing...That’ll save you X percent on diesel’. Numbers are magical. They are very convincing as they are the actual reality.” Championing sustainability
Earlier this year, Scania was the recipient of the first-ever Greener Supply Chain Award at the Automotive Logistics Awards for its green transport operations in Europe, based on how the company has 18 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
When it comes to turnover of deliveries last year, it was at an all-time high”
put sustainability at its focus, rating CO2 emission equally with costs and quality. Its sustainability drive is not limited to Europe, however. Scania has been actively championing sustainability in the region’s transport sector for more than four decades of operations in the Gulf. Driving forwards a green message centred on proven fuel economy and vehicles which are fully customised and adapted to the requirements and operating conditions of the Middle East. In the coming months, Scania Middle East will host an event which, its says will fulfil its commitment to sustainable
ThE nEEd FOR inFRASTRUCTURE Åslund says Scania is prepared to work with organisations like Siemens (such as on the world’s first electric highway in Sweden, pictured) to create the infrastructure required for alternative drives and new forms of transport.
transport solutions in the region. Åslund emphasises that the focus on sustainability runs throughout the company and is being driven from the very top, “Scania is very much about sustainability today. we’re turning to use alternative fuels and electrification to create smarter, safe transport. Our CEO is very dedicated when it comes to promoting sustainability,” explains Åslund. “He’s actually at the forefront of our industry when it comes to promoting sustainable solutions. He has a simple message: companies that aren’t sustainable, won’t sustain.”
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FEATURE
Built to precision Renault Trucks takes T&FME on a tour of its main EMEA assembly line near Lyon, France, for a close look at its meticulous manufacturing process. Anirban Bagchi reports
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n the highway out from Lyon to the town of Bourg-en-Brasse in the southwestern corner of France, the vista that greets you is one of idyllic countryside, with ripening golden-brown wheat fields punctuated by rolling, forested hills. On a mild, bright and sunny September day, it is hard to imagine that anyone would coop themselves up inside a factory with its heat, noise, grease and chemical aroma to make trucks, rather than enjoy the glorious outdoors. But the French take enough pride in their automotive history and their manufacturing to put their heads down and go at it, making some of the best trucks in the world. We are headed to the EMEA assembly facility of Renault Trucks, where it makes the trucks that also run in our part of the world, the Middle East. It’s a no-brainer that in order to be as robust as they are and run as well as they do in the trying conditions of the Middle East, the trucks have to be built in an equally robust process. And in this the factory does not disappoint. Jean-Philippe Bertuzzi, PR manager, Corporate Comm and Media Relations, greets us at the factory. Our guide for the tour, he informs us that Renault Truck’s Bourg-enBrasse facility is spread over 120 hectares on which stand 11 buildings, including the workshops for various components and stages in the pre-assembly stage. “The plant assembles the T-high, the T sleeper cab, the K and the C models. Renault Trucks has two C models, the 2.5m-wide cab and the 2.3m-wide one. The former is the one that is assembles here. There are 1350 employees in the facility, 99% of whom work on the factory floor,” Bertuzzi says. “For us the production process starts not at the factory but right at the moment a customer signs on the dotted line with any of our dealers. They decide which particular truck the customer needs for his operations, and in what configuration. After they agree on the specifics, our work starts. So, you can surmise that all trucks produced here are made to order. The configurations, specifications and requirements of each and every truck have been pre-decided by the customer in consultation with the dealer. Once the specification reaches us, we validate it at our Saint Priest facility in Lyon, and if all options ordered are cleared then the order passes to this plant for the assembly to begin.” The first step in the process is issuance of a computer-generated fabrication number. Each truck to be made has its own unique number,
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which is its internal identification number and with which all its options are linked. Bertuzzi explains that a truck actually begins life as a piece of paper, with its fabrication number and all other details about it moving down the assembly line as the vehicle gets built component by component. “The number is communicated to all our suppliers and they then have to deliver us all the parts and components specified on the paper as asked. So this fabrication number controls all the logistics inside the factory. All of the required components arrive at the factory one day before the assembly of the truck begins. This enables us to keep a low inventory and operate on a very lean basis, which reduces overheads.” The daily production of the plant is 136 vehicles in a single shift operation and, of course only the components and materials that will go towards the day’s production can be found on the factory floor on any given day, after arriving at the plant the day before, Bertuzzi explains.
“The line is a mixed assembly operation, which means there are no separate lines for our various products. All our models are made on the same single assembly line, whether it’s a T, C, D or any other range,” he adds. “This also means that the workers here are required to have knowledge and training on all the various models and assembly groups. They do not specialise on any model or any part of the production process. Instead, they are periodically rotated around the various sectors of the assembly line so that they remain adept at the various skills that we require. This not only gives them more knowledge of the entire process, but also makes their jobs less monotonous. For the company, the added advantage is the flexibility that such a system gives us.” The actual truck starts out as a chassis. The bare metal frame, made according to the specs associated with the fabrication number, leaves the chassis fabrication shop at the beginning of the line on an automatic guided vehicle
previously the trucks were assembled the right side up, but that meant workers had to stand under the vehicle and work with arms raised up high throughout shifts”
(AGV) moving on to the next station. A frame leaves the fabrication area every seven minutes. And then the AGV moves again to the next station, after expert hands have completed a particular stage of assembly. But that does not mean the time interval is a uniform seven minutes at all stations. It may vary depending on the complexity of the process. Speaking of expert hands, Bertuzzi reveals that the average age of the workforce on the assembly line is 42 years. “We find this to be the optimum age. A line worker needs a certain amount of time to practice his skills in order to become proficient at all the tasks. And efficiency also drops off after a certain age. The average age now is the optimum from a quality point of view and allows us to have the most efficient workforce, so we try to keep it at this range through rotation of workers.” As a World Class Manufacturing (WCM) certified plant the facility follows some innovative techniques to save time and effort while still ensuring precision. One such is ‘Pick to Light’. When parts
ELECTRiC is ThE wAy FORwARd Close on the heels of Renault Trucks announcing its new allelectric ZE range, Francois Perrot, commercial director, Renault Trucks International, feels that the mobility solution of the future, even in the trucks segment, will be electric. And that future is upon us already. Speaking with T&FME on the sidelines of the visit to Renault Trucks’ production base in Lyon, he says: “Tightening official regulations and the way cities are implementing zero-emissions are together the key drivers towards electric vehicles. And what is impressive when you drive the electric trucks and cargo vehicles is that there is also zero noise and zero vibrations. “This means you can drive these vehicles in cities at night,
which is normally not authorised for bigger trucks and commercial vehicles. So there are a number of benefits. But this is, of course, the first step of commercialisation.” Electromobility is a big trend that everyone is talking about in the industry, he says. The new ZE electric range that Renault Trucks announced in August is a step towards meeting those trends. In that range, the new Renault Master
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is produced by Renault SA, with Renault Trucks its distributors. “Renault SA is a big seller of electric cars and in this case, they have really leveraged the experience they have in electric cars for the driveline of the new ZE series Master,” Perrot says. Discussing Renault Trucks foray into the electromobility sector, he says: “Electromobility will be a big thing in the future. Apart from the Master, our start is with a 26t vehicle whose first application will be in the refuse/garbage sector. That’s because this is a stop and go application, which is extremely demanding. It is also an application that takes place in the early hours of the morning. Typically, refuse trucks consume between 80-120 litres of diesel for
every 100km - an extremely high figure when you consider that a normal heavy-duty truck consumes in the area of 30-35 litres per 100km.” In this segment Renault Trucks believes electricity is the best way forward and that way forward starts immediately, he adds, even though the products are still expensive and still produced in low volumes. “But they are extremely well-suited to the application. We believe in this instance the TCO will be very competitive, with the added benefit that the reduced noise levels will allow for a bigger operating time window in urban areas.” Renault Trucks will also offer another electric truck, a 16t model for city distribution, with similar technology adapted for its gross vehicle weight.
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FEATURE
siTTing in A ChAin pROdUCTiOn Cab assembly it was one of the final stages of the production line before visual inspections and testing on the speed ring.
FLippEd UpsidE dOwn And ALL AROUnd Following changes made post-acquisition by the Volvo Group, chassis are assembled upside down at the plant. This reduces worker fatigue.
are delivered to any station they come in trays or bins arranged in arrays. Each tray or bin has a small light attached to it. If the light is on, then the worker is required to pick a part from that particular tray for the next vehicle that is arriving at his station. The requirement is to always pick one single part and then press a button next to the light. If the light comes on again then he is required to pick another part, and so on. But if it stays off then he has completed his part-picking from that tray. Another interesting feature of the assembly of Renault Trucks is that the process is performed upside-down. This is one of the results of synergies within the Volvo Group which took over Renault Trucks in 2001. “Previously the trucks were assembled the right side up, but that meant workers had to stand under the vehicle and work with arms raised up high over their heads throughout their shifts. This led to fatigue and health issues,” says Bertuzzi. When we joined the Volvo Group, we 24 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
adopted their assembly technique, which is to turn the vehicle upside down to assemble it, getting it at a more natural, fatigue-free position for the workers for more precision. But what is upside down must be set upright again. At a particular point in the assembly process, when the frame has been completely worked on, a specially-designed overhead crane lifts up the vehicle and flips it in midair and sets it down the right side up to continue down the line for the main body and sheet metal to be attached. That body is also delivered by an aerial route. Finished body shells are lifted up and placed on overhead conveyors, which carry the shells to the station where they will be mated to a chassis. The chassis is placed on a designated spot on the assembly line and the overhead body shell carrier is electronically precision guided to lower and place the shell exactly over the required points of the chassis. The two are then joined together by expert hands at the station and set on their way to continue
the workers here are required to have knowledge on all the various models and assembly groups. they do not specialise on any part of the production process”
down the line for further processes. Finally, when a finished truck rolls off the line it goes straight to the test bench, where it is extensively tested and inspected before being pronounced worthy to sport the Renault Trucks brand. After a visual inspection of key components and fittings, the truck is sent to the factory’s test track. The first lap around the speed ring is to warm it up. It’s then taken up to its maximum speed of 90kmh-plus. After a lap at this speed during which its stability is also tested on the speed ring’s curves, the test driver slams the brake pedal hard at a designated point on the track to test the emergency braking. To pass the test the vehicle has to stop within the stipulated 81m distance marked on the track, hauling down from 90kmh to a standstill. And with the meticulous thought behind the assembly operations, coupled with precisions operations and expert hands performing to high levels of trained and practised exactitude, it is no wonder that almost all the trucks sail through with flying colours.
FEATURE
REAdy TO COMpETE Drivers arrived from 33 different countries to compete in the final of the Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge 2018.
The besT of The besT Middle East drivers prove they can compete with the best in the world
L
ast month’s Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge 2018 was a rare opportunity to see if drivers from the Middle East can compete with their peers from across the globe. At best, our fleet drivers are frequently characterised as under-skilled and, at worst, downright dangerous. The twoday final was a chance to prove they do have the skills to match the best on two tracks that tested their off and on-highway skills in challenges that judged their productivity and fuel efficiency. The Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge has been taking place every two years since the inaugural competition in 2009. With each event the number of participants and the geographical reach has increased, and before any of the 33 participants from 33 countries had touched down in Gothenburg’s
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airport, 12,000 other drivers had taken part in their respective regional competition. This year’s final was the first to include drivers from the Middle East and they flew in from Morocco, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia knowing they would be proving their mettle against rivals from as far as Chile and China. Ahead of them were two gruelling tracks. The first was a two-lap journey around the roadlike course of the fuel efficiency track, where each driver would be given a 12 and a half minutes to get around using the least amount of fuel possible. Simple in theory, but the undulating course included a number of stops and some drivers found themselves planning on where they could use an efficient engine brake or gentle acceleration to gain advantage as they were given a tour of the circuit. The second course was the increasingly
Winning the Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge is a big achievement for me! The final was really tough”
wet and rollercoaster-esque productivity track where they would have to carry a box mounted freely on an arm extending out from an FMX’s radiator grille. As three months of unbroken sunshine came to a crunching halt in Sweden during the event, many of the drivers looked visibly concerned every time the wind picked up and the rain came down; often minutes after bright sunshine had been soaking the course. Keeping the box on its small shelf was going to be a difficult challenge. Each driver would be given tape before they set out – but only to repair the thin cardboard of the box (that didn’t stop some hoping that they could wrapped the box to the shelf). To ensure fairness, each driver was given a number drawn in a lottery to determine when they would set off. With screens showing each drive at the Volvo Experience
FEATURE
FACTs ABOUT VOlVO TRUCks dRiVER ChAllEngE COMpETiTiOn FOCUs Like the Volvo truck range, the main focus areas of the competition were fuel efficiency, productivity and safety.
RAnking wiTh ThE BEsT The team from the UAE Peshawar Sky General Transport after driver Younes Khan (left) displayed his skills with the FMX on the difficult Productivity Circuit.
Centre it was understandable that many were hoping not to be the first out. Waiting for his fate to be decided Peshawar Sky General Transport’s Younes Khan told Truck & Fleet Middle East via his interpreter and the firm’s transportation supervisor Nasim Ullah that he could do well in the competition. “I’m confident that I will do my best,” he said. Echoing his driver’s assurances, Ullah told Truck & Fleet Middle East that Khan comes from a family where driving is in the blood. “His whole family are all drivers, they are the best in their region.” One of the first Middle East drivers out on the course was Saudi Arabia’s Salamah Al Johani. Following two laps of the course where he had to tackle a short but blustery shower, he remained upbeat as he disembarked
The final gave us the opportunity to see incredibly skilful drivers doing an impressive job of handling their trucks”
• The competition has been held every two years since 2009 • This year’s competition involved more than 12 000 drivers. A total of 33 qualified to the world final. • The final was held at the Volvo Trucks Experience Center in Gothenburg on 13-14 September. • The competition aims to put the driver in focus and reinforce the importance of skilled and competent drivers. • The main focus areas of the competition are: fuel efficiency, productivity and safety. • The set up for the World Final was based on two truck models (FH and FMX) and two tracks (Fuel and Productivity) in a closed off area. The winner had the highest combined score from the two different driving stations measuring safety aspects, as well as fuel efficiency and productivity.
from the steps of the FH: “It was really nice, I’m enjoying the competition,” he beamed. “I’m even enjoying the weather!” In the end, it was Polish driver Piotr Krahel who claimed the title of the world’s best all-round truck driver in a final eventually dominated by northern European drivers. As a first outing, the regional drivers such as Khan and his peers from Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Tunisia all performed admirably, proving their skills are comparable to the world’s best drivers. Even though they were not able to deny Krahel the title. While there was no formal award it was Mhammedi Senhaji driving for Morocco’s Bouyauderie Drimano, a haulage company that freights to France, Spain and Belgium that performed best for the region. In second place was the UAE’s driver Khan. Peshawar
Sky General Transport’s Ullah noted the driver’s frustration that he felt that he would tackle the off-road Productivity Track differently having now driven the course, but he said nonetheless participating was as important as winning. “We believe efficiency is important to our business,” he added. Demonstrating the advantage of experience, the winner Krahel stopped to talk to T&FME before giving his acceptance speech, he said that he had come close in 2016 and was determined to secure the title this time around. “Winning the Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge is a big achievement for me! The final was really tough and I was up against a lot of very experienced drivers. I’m impressed that Volvo Trucks stages this motivational event which attracts so many drivers from all over the world,” said Krahel. The Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge brings together all the different challenges that truck drivers face every day, explained Maria Bergving, SVP Brand, Marketing and Communication at Volvo Trucks. “Their skills are often the decisive factor in the productivity and profitability of our customers. Drivers also make a major contribution to road safety. The final gave us the opportunity to see incredibly skilful drivers doing an impressive job of handling their trucks.” She added: “The drivers competing for the title achieved excellent performances in each area. They showed that it is possible to have a highly fuel-efficient driving style, deliver a fragile load quickly in good condition and, at the same time, follow the road safety regulations to the letter.” Volvo Trucks launched the competition with the aim of drawing attention to the important work done by truck drivers in the logistics and transport industry. It is also hoping the event can attract young people to a profession which offers good career opportunities – especially as some markets have a shortage of trained drivers. “To help our customers to recruit and retain skilled drivers, we have been focusing for many years on the design of the driver’s environment and the drivability of our trucks,” said Lene Larsen, Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge Project Manager. “Driver support systems, which make it easier for drivers to manoeuvre trucks safely, and driver training covering everything from handling trucks to a fuel-efficient driving style are other examples of how we help drivers to do a first-class job and to grow and develop.” OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 27
CA .1 PE MPA 0. R I – IOD GN 31 .1 2. 18 01
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The BenefiTs Of Tire COnsisTenCy Giti Tire shares the technical advantages of Axle, Pattern, and Size alignment
T
he rubber of a truck’s tires is the only part of the vehicle that touches the road! This means that you need to put strong importance on your tires in order to maximize the entire truck or bus. There are some key considerations when establishing consistency of your truck or buses tires. While they may seem simple, often fleets neglect to do so because for convenience or lack of the correct tire available. However, ensuring this is properly done provides significant benefits to the vehicles’ performance. Here are 3 main factors to always ensure: 1. Always fit the same tire brand and pattern on the same axle 2. Always fit the same size of tire on the same axle
3. When you need to change truck tires, always change all 4 new tires on the same axle together Making sure to always follow these rules will help your vehicle’s performance in a variety of ways. Here are a few of the major areas that can be affected by maintaining (or not maintaining) the alignment: • Balancing - by having different patterns or sizes on the same axle, the balancing of the vehicle can be disrupted. Even if they are similar, the small amount of variance can add up to a lot when driving for many thousands of kilometres. • Control – control of the truck or bus is also effected by tire consistency. In addition, the comfort of the drive will also sometimes be compromised. • Fuel consumption – fuel efficiency will decrease when not taking into account the above guidance, as the vehicle needs
to compensate for the missing balance. When driving long distances on large fleets, this cost can significantly add up • Damage of mechanical parts – the truck’s mechanical system can also be affected by the incorrect imbalance and vibration of the vehicle. This can mean downtime for your fleet and large costs. • Increasing risk of vehicle overturn – from a safety standpoint, poor tire consistency can cause dangerous situations, especially in the case where some tires are changed while others are neglected. Hopefully, these tips have helped you think in another way. While everyone’s driving environment, application, and needs are different – there are some important similarities that pertain to all drivers, in order to best care for your truck’s tires.
MORE SMIlES wITh GITI ThIS OCTOBER Giti Tire’s roots go back more than 65 years to humble beginnings in Indonesia. But years later – during the month of October – the actual ‘Giti’ brand name was born and registered. Since then, it has added new R&D centers, manufacturing plants, motorsports wins, satisfied commercial fleets, and numerous memorable experiences among its team, partners and fans. October each year is the perfect time for employees, dealers, racers, and everyday drivers to gather together as one to celebrate the passion, excitement and feeling of the Giti brand!
IMPORTAnCE Of fITTInG ThE RIGhT TIRE Fitting the right tire to your axles is crucial for your truck as getting it wrong can cost fuel and speed-up wear.
GSR225 The GSR225 is one of Giti’s most popular commercial tires around the world, serving long-haul and regional segments on all wheel positions. The tire has a specially formatted tread compound and four-belt construction that provides top mileage, durability, and wear resistance. Available in a wide variety of sizes to fit fleets of all types!
OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 29
WORKSHOP
COnTinEnTal launCHES V.PlY in THE REgiOn / BKT’S HigH PROfilE SPOnSORSHiP ViSiOn SYSTEmS SignalS End Of REaR ViEW / dana and OERliKOn mERgE
workshop
Continental launches smart V.ply Portfolio
nEW Radial TYRE COmPOund PORTfOliO fOR PORT aPPliCaTiOnS TYRES Continental says its new V.ply portfolio is “bigger, faster, safer, greener, smarter.” When speaking to T&FME earlier in the year, Continental’s executives said the new tyres were based on the five major trends for the future of ports. Compatible with ContiConnect and ContiPressureCheck digital tyre monitoring platforms
for commercial fleets, Continental’s port tyre and solutions portfolio has been specifically engineered to meet the safety standards, weather, road, payload and driving requirements in the Middle East. One of the causes of tyre failure in this region is the build-up of heat in tyres due to lack of maintenance. Ambient temperatures in the region often undER PRESSuRE Heat build-up is the biggest challenge and the main reason for high maintenance costs and vehicle downtime
exceed 45°C in the summer, increasing wear and reducing durability of standard tyres. “Continental are always looking at ways to innovate technologies and improve safety standards for our customers,” said Jose Luis de la Fuente, managing director of Continental Middle East. “In the Middle East, over half of measured trucks and trailers are under-inflated, resulting in road safety risks and unpredictable costs for fleets. We believe that the new port radial tyres coming to the region next year, combined with our new digital technology, ContiPressureCheck and ContiConnect, will contribute to enhancing tyre safety in the Middle East.” Continental is offering the V.ply tyre portfolio with a new Port Plus compound, a composite that reduces heat generation and abrasion, the two primary causes of tyre wear, to significantly extend tyre life. The radial tyre portfolio will be available with integrated tyre sensor in preparation for the digital solutions which will be launched in the region mid-2019.
BkT kicks off soccer deal TYRES
Indian off-highway tyre specialist BKT says it has entered into a far-reaching threeyear partnership sponsorship agreement with Lega Nazionale Professionisti B. As part of the three-year deal, the second tier of the Italian football will be rebranded with a new logo and name, Serie BKT. One of the core aspects of this cooperation is to support the training of young talents thanks to a plan of action and activities focusing on novices, football academies and the stadiums belonging to the Serie B teams, said BKT. “As a result, growth and union will be one of the pillars of the ‘Serie BKT’, values that are in perfect harmony with BKT’s corporate claim, Growing Together,” added the company. “The aim is to share the same enthusiasm and passionate spirit to be found among players and fans entering this way into a direct relationship with clubs and fans enhancing at the same time BKT’s brand awareness in Italy.”
inSidE THiS mOnTH’S WORKSHOP: in an OPEn lETTER TO THE induSTRY, daimlER maKES THE CaSE fOR a fuTuRE fOR diESEl in EnginES 30 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
WORKSHOP
dana gOES Off-HigHWaY WiTH OERliKOn
The end of The rear-view? TECHnOlOgY
Following the successful launch of its homologated Camera Monitoring System, Smart-Vision, Vision Systems say it was proud to exhibit its solution dedicated to the bus, coach and specific vehicle markets at IAA. Smart-Vision replaces the rearview mirrors with high-definition cameras and interior displays to offer optimized visibility and enhanced ergonomics day and night. In addition to eliminating lateral blind spots, the system provides new functions such as the suppression of the A pillar blind spot, parking and maneuvering aid, lane indicator lines (class VI) or security monitoring around the vehicle. Smart-Vision not only offers greater driving comfort and safety, but also allows a high return on investment (under 2 years in average). The system enables to significantly reduce fuel consumption (by around 5%) thanks to the removal of the mirrors, which cuts wind resistance for improved aerodynamics. It also eliminates the risk of collision between the mirror and a road user; pedestrians and cyclists are visible from the front to the rear of the vehicle. This reduces the insurance and maintenance costs linked to potential injuries and damages while maximizing the vehicle’s availability. Consequently, Smart-Vision participates in reducing the TCO. The Savety-Front solution is particularly designed for urban vehicles to reduce the number of accidents in town by at least 50%. It consists of sensors that alert the driver when a risk of collision with a vehicle, cyclist or pedestrian is detected. The anticipation of collision is based on path comparison, taking in account the road users’ position, speed and direction. The solution differentiates a road user who represents a potential collision danger from another one.
TYRES Dana Incorporated has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the Drive Systems segment of the Oerlikon Group, a global manufacturer of high-precision gears; planetary hub drives for tracked vehicles; and products, controls, and software that support vehicle electrification across the mobility industry. Under the terms of the agreement, Dana will acquire Oerlikon’s Drive Systems business for $600 million. Committed financing has been arranged to complete the transaction, which will be immediately accretive to earnings upon closing. Subject to customary regulatory approvals, the acquisition is expected to close in late 2018 or the first quarter of 2019. “Oerlikon Drive Systems is a well-respected technology company that has provided exceptional product innovation
fOR THE End maRKET Oerlikon’s technology will enable Dana to expand its product offering for customers in the off-highway segment.
and customer satisfaction for nearly a century,” said Jim Kamsickas, president and chief executive officer of Dana. “A great fit culturally, this investment will deliver significant longterm value by accelerating our commitment to vehicle electrification and strengthening the technology portfolio for each of our end markets while further expanding and balancing
the manufacturing presence of our off-highway business in key geographical markets.” Founded in 1919, Oerlikon Drive Systems generated revenue of $730 million in 2017. The business employs 5,900 people and operates 10 manufacturing and engineering facilities in China, India, Italy, the UK, and the US, with two additional facilities under construction in China.
magna TYRES dOuBlES PROduCTiOn CaPaCiTY TYRES
Off-the road (OTR) tyre manufacturer Magna Tyres has nearly doubled production capacity at its Hardenburg factory in the Netherlands six months after opening the facility earlier this year. The Dutch manufacturer, which is among the leading brands for OTR, mobile crane and other construction equipment tyres in the Middle East, announced that the expansion
was necessitated by the growing demand for its 26.5R25 and 29.5R25 OTR sizes. It opened the Hardenberg factory in January to produce heavyduty off-highway lines in the MA02 grader/loader, M-Terrain articulated dump-truck and AG24 agricultural line segments. It has production bases in Taiwan and China, apart from its home base in the Netherlands and supplies tyres to the Middle East construction equipment and
glOBal PRESEnCE The Middle East is one of the largest global regions for Magna in terms of revenue
off-highway sector from all its plants. “New capacity has since been added to keep up with demand for the new sizes. Our OTR tyres are working at several large mines and quarries around the world, including in the Middle East in Saudi Arabia, the UAR and other countries,” said Vijay Nambiar, GM, Middle East and Africa at Magna Tyres. “The Middle East is one of the largest global regions for Magna in terms of revenue, and we have seen a rise in demand for our products in the region with several recent successes, such as a deal with GCC crane services major Al Faris to supply the tyres for their mobile crane fleet.” Magna is increasing supply of its 29.5R25 Magna MA02, an E3+/L3+ tyre for wheel loaders, dumpers and dozers. The tyre’s wide shoulders increase the contact surface for more traction and the rubber compound, which its uses for all OTR tyres, offers the best result against chip and chunk and tread wear.
OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 31
IAA PREVIEW
A WIdE lOAd FOR TRAIlERs Schmitz Cargobull showcased a wide array of new tech at the IAA with company revealing that is product and service experts have been working hard for the past two years
IAA: Best of the rest Ahead of next month’s OEM coverage, T&FME looks at the other big show announcements
D
hether you call it IAA or The IAA, there is no doubt that the bi-annual show is the event to be seen at for the commercial vehicles industry in 2018. Leading up to the big OEM announcements at the end of September there were plenty of other releases and launches from the other players in the industry, particularly the trailer specialists. Schmitz Cargobull once again showcased a wide array of new tech at the IAA with company revealing that is product and service experts have been working hard for the past two years. “Countless new trailer developments and service innovations have been created for the benefit of the customer with the aim of reducing the total cost of ownership. All of the innovations have been developed according to the strictest standards of quality and tested in a practical setting,” said the trailer giant its show preamble. Headlining its appearance was the S.KO
32 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
COOL reefer semi-trailer, an enhanced refrigerated box body that is bolstered by the new S.CU cooling unit and the telematics system. Intended to offer transport companies an optimised “complete package” for refrigerated logistics, it has been tidied up and given a distinctive new look (SC’s owns words) with the front section has had a complete face lift. The protected area of the bulkhead has been extended further upwards, so as to avoid damage during coupling. Furthermore, the insulation capacity of the bulkhead has been increased further through the optimisation of many details. The new side guard is the most telling sign that another generational change has taken place. Schmitz Cargobull has further developed its in-house refrigeration unit and equipped it with the latest common rail diesel motor. The new refrigeration unit generation offers the same high cooling performance and precise temperature management, but uses up to 10% less fuel.
Countless new trailer developments and innovations have been created for the benefit of the customer with the aim of reducing the total cost of ownership”
All Schmitz Cargobull refrigeration units comply with the Stage V emission standard, which comes into force in January 2019. Also present was the S.CS curtainsider with POWER CURTAIN which has been designed to meet demands for increased transport efficiency and effective time management. The certified structural rigidity according to DIN EN 12642 Code XL is achieved without support laths thanks to aramid belts and steel wire integrated into the tarpaulin. The advantage of this lies in quicker loading and unloading without time-consuming handling to secure the load, says Schmitz Cargobull: “This enables the driver to continue their run more rapidly and further optimise the transport process. At the same time, the POWER CURTAIN offers high theft protection. The POWER CURTAIN also offers high protection against theft.” Thanks to a new rolled chassis, the weightoptimised design of the S.CS curtainsider semitrailer is now a whole 300 kg lighter, while the standard of robustness and quality has remained
IAA PREVIEW
the same. To the delight of freight carriers, the basic equipment package for the semi-trailer has an unladen weight of just 6,290 kg. Meanwhile, the S.CS UNIVERSAL curtainsider semi-trailer also comes in a leaner version. The Schmitz Cargobull all-rounder is already operational with an unladen weight of a little less than 6 t. Of course, the trailer possesses the DIN EN 12642 Code XL certificate and is also equipped with the new design of side guard. Schmitz Cargobull high-volume trucks with drawbar trailers have also seen a generational change. The M.CS truck curtainsider and the Z.CS central axle curtainsider are now newly available in the MEGA version, with the total weight reduced by 500 kg. The trimmed-down high-volume truck and drawbar trailer in the MEGA version now offers greater payload for optimum and flexible transport solutions. With a particular emphasis on weight reduction, Schmitz Cargobull presents enhanced thermal insulation for the rounded steel body. To minimise payload loss, the
thanks to its advanced technologies and comfort, as well as its high flexibility, the new Combo will appeal to numerous kinds of customers”
OPTIMIsEd usE OF sPACE To minimise payload loss, the thermal insulation of the S.KI SR rounded steel tipper body has been optimised again for 2018.
thermal insulation of the S.KI SR rounded steel tipper body has been optimised again for 2018. The innovative insulation material has a low additional weight of approximately 310 kg, offering a robust and payloadoptimised transport solution. Alongside the rounded steel body, the aluminium box body is also available with full insulation. This weight-optimised transport solution also complies with the required insulation standards while providing for a high payload thanks to its unladen weight of only 5.1 t. Because the body’s external dimensions do not change significantly as a result, the tipper trailer retains its low centre of gravity and can be combined with any of the trough covering options from the standard range. WABCO went big on its brand promise of “Mobilizing Vehicle Intelligence” for trucks and trailers by explaining how it is integrating critical vehicle control systems to “equip original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and commercial fleets around the
world with the advanced safety, efficiency and connectivity technologies necessary to support the industry’s migration towards fullyautonomous, connected and electric vehicles.” “WABCO is mobilising vehicle intelligence for trailers as much as for trucks, enabling these vehicles to perform more safely and efficiently at every point in the transportation ecosystem,” said Nick Rens, WABCO President, Trailer Systems, Aftermarket, Digital Services and Off Highway Division. “Today, WABCO is differentiated in our global industry through our innovation of intelligent trailer technologies alongside supplying more than nine million trailer ABS and EBS systems currently in the market world-wide.” Proving the point, WABCO demonstrated the industry’s first global modular braking platform covering all types of trailers at IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018. This latest breakthrough in trailer braking systems design furthers WABCO’s worldwide leadership in intelligent trailer
VEhIClE InTEllIgEnCE WABCO went big on its brand promise of “Mobilizing Vehicle Intelligence” for trucks and trailers.
BACk In ThE FRAME Opel used this year’s IAA to give two world premieres as it prepares to re-establish itself in the sector.
OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 33
IAA PREVIEW
technologies by offering trailer builders and commercial fleets the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of safety and efficiency functions specifically for trailers. WABCO says its Global Intelligent Braking Platform for Trailers provides the foundation for WABCO’s new generation Trailer Anti-Lock Braking System (iABS™) and Electronic Braking System (iEBS™). It also features simplified interchange between iABS and iEBS, “enhances trailer system functionality and supports the globalisation strategies of trailer manufacturers due to increased standardisation and modularity.” The WABCO iABS is the company’s new generation of global anti-lock braking system (ABS). Suitable for all trailer types it offers more integrated and simplified design, as well as increased functionality to enhance the safety and efficiency of trailers. WABCO iEBS on the other hand is its new generation of global electronic braking system (EBS) for all trailer types. WABCO’s Trailer iEBS offers simplified installation, full integration of tire pressure monitoring and rear blind spot monitoring as well as functional scalability. It succeeds WABCO’s market-leading Trailer EBS E and helps to further protect against rollover, skidding and jack-knifing. WABCO is the global market leader for trailer braking systems with more than 2.5 million Trailer EBS systems currently in the market. The new generation Trailer EBS comes with three variants (Basic, Standard, Premium) and offers a specific version for the BRIC regions offering Roll Stability Support (RSS) to steel suspended trailers. Other features rolled at IAA included the WABCO Park Release Valve for the iEBS system, which it claims is the first solution
34 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
ItP integrates with the trailer’s braking system and offers more than 40 onboard trailer functions to help trailer builders, fleet operators and cargo owners to reduce transportation costs, save fuel and increase driver safety and comfort”
in the market with a unique singlebutton operation to control the park brake. It also showcased the WABCO Intelligent Trailer Program (ITP) awardwinning suite of trailer technologies. “ITP integrates with the trailer’s braking system and offers more than 40 onboard trailer functions to help trailer builders, fleet operators and cargo owners to reduce transportation costs, save fuel and increase driver safety and comfort,” said WABCO. WABCO’s CargoCam was presented as the company’s first intelligent cargo solution. Using a camera mounted inside the trailer it utilises image processing to monitor changes in the trailer cargo space. Operated via mobile app or web service, CargoCam can connect intelligently to cloud-based solutions and deliver real-time reports on occupancy, unsecured cargo, damages, and loading times. “At IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018, we demonstrated the differentiation that WABCO’s technology brings to the trailer sector by presenting our industry’s first global intelligent braking platform. Its modularity can offer trailer manufacturers the full benefit of a new generation of trailer iABS and iEBS functionalities alongside new levels of flexibility in their choice of braking system. This innovative platform also offers a gateway to more advanced levels of functionality, including WABCO’s award-winning Intelligent Trailer Program,” explained Rens. Addressing the increasing demand for technologies that will contribute to green transportation solutions, WABCO also unveiled its eTrailer-prototype at IAA 2018. Representing the commercial vehicle industry’s first fully-electric concept for the truck and trailer control that holistically integrates
3 WhEEls, 3d ThInkIng Start-up Gaius Automotive Inc its 3-wheeled GAIUS RAPIDE 3 commercial electric cargo scooter at the show. Fast-forwarding the 3-wheel concept into the 21st Century, the company says it offers safe, sustainable mobility for government and corporate logistics needs. Having the agility of a motorcycle but with added stability and the loading capacity of a car, the GAIUS RAPIDE 3 has a modular design with a protective canopy and will have connectivity features for next generation cloud-based fleet management. Addressing the needs of growing e-commerce infrastructures, it will host a range of smart, connected functions to optimise workflow throughout its daily work cycle. As a zeroemission vehicle it can economically and unobtrusively enter busy and narrow inner-city roads and central districts that many urban areas are increasingly restricting from ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle traffic. With a design intended to maximise cargo capacity while minimising its carbon footprint, the GAIUS RAPIDE 3 can be configured to carry 440L or 200Kg of cargo with a range of up to 105km while being as fast and nimble as a 125cc scooter. The RAPIDE 3 addresses potential environmental issues and related costs such as carbon taxes, and ICE vehicle surcharges. It can be configured with a power-optimized battery up to 5.2kWh capacity specially designed to charge to 80% in 15 minutes, without compromising the longevity of the battery. This vehicle is certified for at least 5 years of heavy-duty fleet usage cycles.
IAA PREVIEW
braking, traction and advanced driver assistance systems, it significantly reduces CO2 emissions with the potential to generate fuel savings up to 20 percent on short-haul journeys and up to 10% for long-haul use. It might be a bit cheeky to group Opel in the non-OEM review of the show but the name remains a bit of an enigma to many Middle East buyers despite its links to General Motors. The company itself admits it has not focused on the commercials vehicles sector in recent years and used this year’s IAA to give two world premieres as it prepares to re-establish itself in the sector. The 4.75m-long XL version of the recently presented Opel Combo Life appeared for the first time, while the Combo Cargo LCV for professionals also mad its debut. According to Opel, the fifth generation of the compact, multi-talented Combo is set to raise the bar for leisure activity vehicles as all models shine with high flexibility, loads of space and high comfort, as well as a wealth of advanced assistance systems unrivalled in this segment. “We have played a modest role in leisure activity vehicles (LAV) and the LCV-B segment for far too long,” says Opel Senior Manager Light Commercial Vehicles, Tobias
Stöver. “That will change with the newgeneration Combo, which is the ideal partner for business, pleasure and everyday use. Thanks to its advanced technologies, spaciousness and comfort, as well as its high flexibility, the new Combo will appeal to numerous kinds of customers – families as well as professionals.” The Opel Combo Life also appeared at the IAA as the 4.40m long standard. The Combo Life is available as a five or sevenseater with space for up to 2,693l of luggage. The LCV version celebrated its world premiere at the IAA as the 4.75 m. crew cab and panel van versions. The panel van offers room for two Euro pallets and –depending on the version – up to 4.4 m3 of cargo space. The maximum payload is 1,000 kg. Opel claims that as the Combo has been developed to passenger car standards, it offers the highest level of technology in the segment – for LAV as well as LCV. The range extends from Automatic Cruise Control1 to Forward Collision Alert with Automatic Emergency Braking2, to Driver Drowsiness Alert, Side Blind Spot Alert and head-up display, to name just a few. In addition, the adaptive IntelliGrip traction control system with five modes ensures that the Combo always has a
WABCo is mobilising vehicle intelligence for trailers as much as for trucks, enabling these vehicles to perform more safely and efficiently at every point in the transportation ecosystem”
firm grip – regardless of whether the driver wants to go off-road in pursuit of his hobby or must deal with muddy, sandy or even snowy surfaces on building sites. The new sensorbased Flank Guard protects the Combo from irritating and expensive-to-repair scratches or dents. The optional rear-view camera for the Combo Cargo further improves rearward visibility. Another camera in the passenger-side mirror reduces the risk of unseen objects in the blind spot – important when making turns. Under the bonnet, customers can choose from a range of highly efficient turbocharged engines, all of which meet the strict Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard. At the top of the line-up is the 96 kW/130 hp 1.5-litre diesel, which is available – for the first time on the Combo – with a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic (fuel consumption3: urban 4.8-4.5 l/100 km, extra-urban 4.4-4.1 l/100 km, combined 4.5-4.3 l/100 km, 119-113 g/km CO2). “Together with the excellent load capacities, high passenger-car level of comfort and comprehensive in-car entertainment, this makes the new Opel Combo Cargo and Combo Life the ideal partners for work and everyday life,” said Opel.
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OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 09:38 35 16.05.18
FEATURE
Writing an open letter, Daimler tells the industry not to turn its back on diesel
Don’t ban Diesel W
ith the judgment by the German Federal Administrative Court on 27 February 2018, it seemed the death knell had been sounded for the diesel engine as a drive variant: an allegedly outmoded technology and the main cause of excessive levels of pollution in cities and metro areas. This, at least, must be the impression of many consumers if they gave credence to the headlines and commentary in the media in recent weeks. First and foremost: As an automotive manufacturer we are not seeking to dodge the issues or make things seem better than they
36 TRUCK&FLEET ME OCTOBER 2018
are. We are clear that we bear responsibility for reconciling the demands for individual mobility, climate protection and clean air. And that is precisely why we fully back the diesel engines of today as a part of the drive mix of tomorrow: First, diesel engines enjoy an undisputed advantage in respect to CO2 over comparable gas engines; Second, as a result of our experience over the last few years we can improve the NOx emissions of many vehicles on the road – both effectively and relatively swiftly – through software updates; And, third, the market penetration of vehicles with the new generation of engines, as well as vehicles with Euro 6d-Temp certification, is really picking up speed. These record emissions that
to do away with the diesel would be a big mistake, for both environmental and economic reasons”
are in many cases under - and in some cases significantly under - the laboratory threshold value of 80 mg/km in normal driving operation. To put it succinctly: To do away with the diesel at this point in time would be a big mistake, for both environmental and economic reasons. And the most recent German Federal Administration Court’s judgment on the possibility of banning driving cars in particularly polluted cities changes nothing in that respect. As a company that, for more than 130 years now, has demonstrated its total commitment to helping people be mobile we reject driving bans, which are a forced restriction on mobility. We are convinced
FEATURE
that it is possible to bring the violation of threshold limits under control in cities, too – without driving bans and with the diesel. The objective reasons and technical facts supporting our position are provided below: The differences between laboratory and road-test measurements of the pollutants emitted from diesel vehicles have, understandably, led to many questions. In the current debate, however, the impression is often given that nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution in Germany has never been so high. But, in fact, the opposite is true. According to the German Federal Environmental Agency, the pollution caused by traffic has fallen by around 70% since 1990. And this despite traffic volumes rising significantly in the same period. This even applies to the city that is currently particularly in the public eye in Germany: Stuttgart, where NOx pollution declined again in 2017. It’s clear that the NOx threshold limits at measuring stations close to traffic are still exceeded often. But it is also a fact that, as early as 2016, in Germany there were no violations of threshold limits at the monitoring stations in urban areas more removed from heavy traffic. A study, backed by the Federal Environment Ministry, Federal Environmental Agency and the German Association of the Automotive Industry amongst others, demonstrates that just by renewing the base the number of measuring stations close to traffic exceeding the NOx threshold values would reduce by 70% by 2020. And five years later the reduction would be over 90%. In the current debate, particulate matter and NOx are mixed up time and again. The fact of the matter is that the problem of particulate matter emissions from engines could be solved with the introduction of diesel particulate filters. Mercedes-Benz first equipped a diesel car with a filter back in 1985. The lessons learned from this programme formed the basis for the development of innovative and effective filter technologies – which have rendered the diesel nearly soot-free. Filters have been standard equipment for Mercedes diesel vehicles since 2005. Of course, there are still older vehicles on the road. Nevertheless, overall particulate matter emissions from engines are low. According to the German Federal Environmental Agency, engines are only responsible for 7% of particulate matter emissions on the Neckartor road in Stuttgart. As far as PM10 particulate matter pollution in Germany is concerned, in 2017 the threshold limit was only exceeded at the measuring station close to traffic on the Neckartor road in Stuttgart, with 45 days of violations recorded.
LOCAL EngAgEmE nT Daimler is subsidising transport for its plant wor kers it has also launched FLO W – a mobility progra mme with digital services for employees.
STUDying in STUTTgART With local measures Daimler is focusing in particular on Stuttgart. Thus, for example, we are subsidising our employees to use public transport such as the local tram and train network or buses to get to work. Since January 2018, on days in which a particulate matter alarm is issued, employees of the Group have been able to use the Stuttgart regional transport network to travel between their homes and their place of work simply by showing their work ID. Daimler then pays the costs of these trips. On days with high particulate matter readings Daimler does not conduct any test drives in Stuttgart. The company continually informs the public in and around Stuttgart about the fact that they can win free VVS (the public transport operator) tickets on days with high particulate matter readings by accessing the moovel app. The probability that moovel customers will, as a result, be able to use buses, trains and trams for free is set at 50%. When booking their tickets, a random generator decides whether moovel will pay the cost for the trip. Car2go offers discounted prices on
using an all-electric smart fortwo on days with high particulate matter warnings. A new Group initiative, entitled F.L.O.W., bundles all these measures together and is also developing additional planned or already piloted projects into new mobility concepts for Daimler employees. F.L.O.W. stands for “Fortbewegung, Lebensweise, Ökologie und Wirtschaft” (mobility, lifestyle, ecology and business). It includes, for example, a future ridesharing offer for Daimler commuters, using the Flinc app. Flinc is a subsidiary of Daimler Mobility Services. In future, Daimler employees will also have the opportunity, using the “Flex Location” app, to reserve a workplace in a Daimler location nearer to their home, to help relieve congestion within the Stuttgart urban area. The aim is to get other companies, cities and municipalities to join the F.L.O.W. initiative in the future. The company will also be making available around 50 smart electric drives for use in the city centre by community/ voluntary services.
Chances are the limit can be met this year which would mean that in 2018 the annual limit value for particulate matter pollution would not be exceeded in any German city. The positive trend especially in NOx emissions levels will further intensify in the next couple of years. Three developments in particular will play a critical role in this: First, vehicles with the latest-generation diesel engines are coming to the market in ever greater numbers. Second, more and more vehicles are being offered that are certified to the latest and therefore most stringent emissions standard to date – namely the Euro 6d-Temp. And, third, the measures adopted at the “diesel summit” on August 2, 2017 are beginning to take effect. Current Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with the latest diesel technology can achieve NOx emissions in a very low double-digit and sometimes even single-digit range in some RDE-measurements on the road. For instance, the technical inspection company TÜV Hessen tested a wagon version of the new C-Class with a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder OM 654 engine according to the currently applicable RDE regulations, and measured nitrogen-oxide emissions below 10 milligrams per kilometer in the overall cycle, both with and without cold starts. When a sedan version of the new C-Class with the same engine was tested in accordance with the RDE method, NOx emissions of approximately 10 milligrams per kilometer were measured. However, average emissions over many thousands of kilometers as described above are much more meaningful than individual measurements. At low levels of engine load, for example while driving slowly, the effectiveness of exhaust-gas aftertreatment can be substantially enhanced due to the close proximity of the system to the engine and further developed exhaust-gas temperature management, thus significantly increasing the system’s effectiveness in the city. Also the temperature range at which exhaust treatment works particularly effectively can be extended significantly with the new engines, without any of the components being damaged. Average NOx values that are well below the laboratory value of 80 mg/km are therefore achieved in normal driving operation at low temperatures, too. The new engines have yet more potential for future improvement, so we can assume we will be able to reduce NOx emissions further still. Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development: “Our goal is to arrive at average OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 37
FEATURE
NOx emissions of around 30 milligrams per kilometer in RDE Stage 2 tests by 2020. And we are determined to achieve averages approaching 20 milligrams in the following years. We are targeting these figures in particular for our vehicles on RDE driving tests in cities.” One of the levers is the continuous improvement of the interaction of the various components in the overall system – which includes the highly complex engine-management system. On the other hand, further developed technology will also be applied in the coming years. into EURO 6d-Temp
The rapid replacement of the base with vehicles certified to Euro 6d-Temp is a very effective way of further reducing NOx emissions in road traffic. Many models with this certification will be launched over the coming months. We ourselves plan to have converted over 30 currently available models and over 200 variants to the Euro 6d-Temp standard (RDE level 1) by September 2018. And all this a year before it becomes mandatory for all vehicles. Our customers will therefore have an ever-wider range of such vehicles to choose from over the coming months. Examples are the CLS, the new A-Class and C-Class, as well as the G-Class and also new engines following in succession in existing model. To gain Euro 6d-Temp registration, these vehicles must also initially pass an RDE test. The threshold limit for this is 168 mg/km. Vehicles must, of course, stay under this limit in every imaginable type of RDE trip that complies with the statutory provisions. If the
DiESEL ADvAnTAgES Daimler argues diesel engines enjoy an undisputed advantage in respect to CO2 over comparable gas engines and believes it can improve the NOx emissions of many vehicles on the road.
our assessment has not changed. We consider comprehensive retrofits of vehicles as impractical”
vehicle exceeds the threshold limit just once, certification might not be possible. The vehicles certified to EU 6d-Temp have therefore been developed so that a suitable margin from the 168 mg/km threshold can be maintained. So, for the vast majority of trips in normal driving operation, emissions are significantly lower than 168 mg/km. On average, most vehicles record values significantly under the 80 mg/ km limit in normal driving. This explains why the rapid penetration of the existing base of vehicles by vehicles with the new certificate will significantly improve air quality. And this is also why we have extended the trade-in premium on old diesel cars in Germany and other European markets until the end of June 2018. RApiD REpLACEmEnT The rapid replacement of the base with vehicles certified to Euro 6d-Temp is a very effective way of further reducing NOx emissions in road traffic, says Daimler.
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Meanwhile, engineers at MercedesBenz are also using the lessons learned from field testing and the development of the new family of diesel engines to improve emissions on vehicles that are not yet certified to Euro 6d-Temp, too. A bundle of measures has been feeding into series production since the end of 2016. In order to rapidly improve emissions from EU5 and EU6 vehicles in Europe, we had already decided to extend our ongoing servicing measures to over 3 million vehicles even before the “diesel summit” in August 2017. This involves the deployment of software updates. Across all vehicles, NOx emissions will reduce on average by 25 to 30% in normal driving operation as a result. For example, in a test conducted by “Auto Motor und Sport”on a Mercedes-Benz V-Class, NOx emissions were reduced by more than 80% following the software update. This reduction is just one example; it will surely not be possible to achieve the same result on average and in all model series. Nevertheless, with software updates NOx emissions can be rapidly and effectively reduced in many model series. And our experience with the ongoing service measures indicate that the updates are being taken up in very large numbers by our customers: As an example, since March 2017 we have been able to implement a software update for some 85% (as at May 2018) of our diesel entry-level compact class models (Mercedes-Benz A-Class, B-Class, GLA and CLA) in Germany already. For Mercedes-Benz V-Class customers the company has been voluntarily carrying out a service measure as well - some 90% of all vehicles in Germany (as at May 2018) have benefited from this as well. Keeping in mind the complexity of the engine control system not only the development but also this approval process with regards to effectiveness and reliability of the software updates naturally takes some time. For this reason we’re also prioritizing our model series in terms of their volumes and their potential for improving air quality as quickly and effectively as possible. We are confident that we will have finished developing all the main software variants by the end of the year. Many may be asking themselves why we are able to improve the emissions of vehicles out in the field now and not before; and why so clearly with the aid of software updates alone. There is an explanation for this: Our developers are continuously working on making the various components and functions work better together. The same is true for the highly complex engine controls. We have made great progress in this area in recent
FEATURE
years: Our engineers have used the lessons learned from the development of our new diesel engine family and experience from the field, as well as from ongoing measures still in progress for updates. This has allowed us to take many vehicles closer to their system limits without significantly increasing the risk to the quality of the vehicles. We are, of course, looking very intensively at hardware solutions. Our assessment, however, has not changed: We consider comprehensive retrofits of vehicles in the field with SCR systems in Germany and Europe as impractical: they would have to be developed individually for each model. A hardware conversion nearly always means a far-reaching intervention into the control system and vehicle architecture. In particular, we must also ensure that converted systems are capable of delivering their full functionality and meeting our quality and safety standards over the long term. An article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday paper describes these challenges. The development of hardware solutions with retrofitted SCR-systems that meet the high safety and quality standards of both the OEM and regulatory authorities would, under the current development and certification processes in Europe, take at least 2 to 3 years – and a lot longer for many models. In our estimation, the resources needed to offer comprehensive hardware solutions in Germany and Europe would be out of proportion to their benefits. As in previous years, NOx levels in cities such as Stuttgart, Mainz, Ludwigshafen and Koblenz continued to fall in 2017. This shows that measures introduced by municipalities and industry, and stock renewal in particular, can improve urban air quality faster and effectively. Since the end of last year, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) has been supporting cities and municipalities throughout Germany with measures to improve air quality. Daimler is taking part in these discussions, as are the other automotive manufacturers. They are particularly aimed at implementing measures to optimize the flow of traffic, to check on the expansion of an e-charging infrastructure and to continue the networking and digitalization of transport. We aim to further improve the combustion engine and, in parallel, are championing hybrid technology. However, it is also clear that even better than low emissions are no local emissions at all. That is why we are going full speed ahead with electric mobility, and the technical and commercial opportunities now exist for us to do so: The energy density of batteries is increasing.
STiLL UnDER invEST igATiOn Daimler, BMW and VW are still under investig ation for an alleged conspiracy to restrict die sel emission treatment systems. However the firm has spent two yea rs focussing on exhaus t gas re-circulation.
COnTinUing DEvELOpmEnT Mercedes-Benz has been further developing diesel technology in series-produced cars for two years now. The four-cylinder diesel engine OM 654 with a combination of exhaustgas after-treatment close to the engine, stepped combustion bowls and further developed multiple exhaust gas recirculation was already introduced in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in April 2016. Since then, MercedesBenz has systematically adapted its product portfolio to the new generation of diesel engines. For that purpose, the company has invested approximately 3 billion euros in research and production. Following the launch of the new generation of diesel engines in the E-Class (four-cylinder OM 654) and the S-Class (six-cylinder OM 656), the four-cylinder OM 608 is being introduced in May in the new A-Class A 180 d (fuel consumption combined: 4,5-4,1 l/100 km combined CO2 emissions: 118-108 g/km). The new diesel engines
from Mercedes-Benz are therefore now available from the compact class to the large, luxury class. Vehicles fitted with these engines have low NOx emissions also on the road: Indeed, on many trips using the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) measuring process, they record values significantly lower than the current laboratory threshold limit of 80 milligrams. For example, in a test conducted by the magazine Auto Motor und Sport (issue 18/2017) the Mercedes E 220 d (fuel consumption combined: 4.4-3.9 l/100 km; CO2 emissions (combined): 112-102 g/km) recorded 41 milligrams of nitrogen oxide per kilometer. Other organizations like for example Dekra, the German Technical Inspection Authority TÜV, or automotive newspapers have confirmed very good values in road tests as well. We also achieve average emission results of 40 to 60 milligrams in our internal test measurements for continuous operation, covering many thousands of kilometers in both urban and long-distance driving.
At the same time, production costs are decreasing. By 2025 an e-drive system could cost roughly the same as combustion drive. And we want to drive this forward, with e-vehicles that customers don’t have to buy, but choose to buy because they are attractive. To this end we will be investing more than ten-billion euros over the next few years in extending and developing our electric fleet. We will be offering at least one allelectric option in every Mercedes model series. And by 2020 in both Europe and the US, we will make smart the first car brand to have moved its entire model range over to electric drive. E-mobility is a big issue for our commercial vehicles, too: MercedesBenz Vans is working on the electrification of all its commercial model series. The first of these will be the eVito in 2018; followed by the Sprinter in 2019. The first vehicles from our Mercedes-Benz Citaro fully-electric bus line will be delivered at the end of the year as part of our so-called near-launch road trials. By 2022, Mercedes-Benz will have brought out ten fully-electric cars on the market. By 2022 Mercedes-Benz will have brought out ten fully-electric cars on the market. Innovation was, is and will continue to be what drives us forward. Even if it has been claimed that the German automotive industry wishes to hold on to the status quo rather than drive change - the reality at Daimler is very different: Worldwide, no other automotive manufacturer registered as many patents in 2016 as Daimler: 2,175 in total, of which 761 addressed the topics of the future such as connectivity, automated driving and mobility services like car-sharing and e-mobility (socalled CASE topics). In the passenger car area we have more than doubled our investment in research and development since 2010, while investment into the above-mentioned “future fields” has increased fourfold. There are many more measures that can be taken to further reduce nitrogen oxide in the short and medium term that make significantly more sense than introducing driving bans: Taking the development of state-of-the-art combustion engines even further, while, at the same time, pushing electric mobility and new forms of mobility; providing software updates for diesel vehicles in the field; improving traffic flow in cities; closer collaboration between municipalities, suppliers and automotive manufacturers; and the electrification of local public transport and local delivery. As a car and commercial vehicle manufacturer, we are also working to keep people mobile and to deliver them the goods they need on a daily basis. OCTOBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 39
PARTING SHOT
Urban neT-worTh
dubai Metro will earn city $63bn by 2030; over four times its cost
T
he Dubai Metro will generate $63 billion for the city’s economy by 2030 according to a joint study by Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the UK’s Henley Business School. The Economic Impact of the Dubai Metro Project study uses data from the Dubai Land Department, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Statistics Center, Department of Economic Development, Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, and the main shopping centres to examine how the Dubai Metro has affected the economy since it first opened in 2009 up to 2016. Included among the data are 50,000 sales transactions and 150,000 lease transactions within a 500m radius of the Metro Stations. The study also looks at the capital and operational costs of the Metro and matches them to the financial benefits of the project in the form of tariff revenues, increases in operational jobs, and appreciation in the value of properties in the surroundings of the Metro stations. Material benefits also include increasing consumer surplus of metro users (residents, citizens, tourists), raising foreign investment, reducing mobility and vehicle operation costs,
curbing carbon emissions, decreasing traffic accidents, cutting road maintenance costs, and boosting employment prospects, said the RTA. The study estimates the accumulated benefits of the Metro between 2009 and end of 2016 at $18 billion compared to accumulate capital and operational costs of about $11 billion, “i.e. the cost-benefit ratio reached 1.6 by the end of 2016. It is estimated that the accumulated benefits in 2020 and 2030 would be $31 billion and $63 billion respectively, whereas the capital and operational costs for the same years were estimated at $12 billion and $15 billion respectively. It follows that the costbenefit ratio for the said years will be 2.5 and 4.3 respectively, “ the RTA said in a statement. “This means that every dirham spent on the Dubai Metro has yielded a return of 1.6 dirhams to the economy of the Emirate in 2016, and this return will shoot to 2.5 dirhams and 4.3 dirhams in 2020 and 2030 respectively.” Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, commented: “At a time when RTA celebrates the ninth anniversary of Dubai Metro, this study underlines Dubai’s keenness to invest in improving and widening its infrastructure, since it is the backbone of driving
the competitiveness of cities and countries. The infrastructure in general and roads in particular play a massive role in supporting economic, social and tourist activities, boosting the integration of the local economy, and enhancing GDP. The Dubai Government is aware of the paramount importance of investment in infrastructure, and the Government has therefore consistently maintained this policy. As a result, the emirate’s investments in roads and transport infrastructure have touched AED 100 billion ($27 billion). “Such a trend has been rewarded with clear dividends that have propelled the competitiveness of the Emirate and the UAE in general, making Dubai a global benchmark for the quality of infrastructure. The remarkable roads network of the emirate was instrumental in the UAE achieving Number One ranking in the quality of roads worldwide for four years in a row (20142017), according to the Global Competitiveness Reports of the World Economic Forum. “The sustained improvement of roads, as well as transit systems and services witnessed by Dubai since the establishment of the RTA in 2005 have generated savings of as much as AED125 billion ($34 million) in the cost of fuel and time,” added Al Tayer.
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