On the eve of the opening of the Consumer Electronics Show 2019 (CES) in Las Vegas, Daimler Trucks, on launching the latest Cascadia heavy duty tractor-unit range announced that it will invest €500 million over the next four to five years and create more than 200 new jobs in its global push to bring highly automated trucks (SAE level 4) to the road within a decade.
The new Freightliner Cascadia offers partially automated driving features (level 2), making it the first-ever semi-autonomous series production truck on North American roads. First experience behind the wheel of the new flagship was undertaken around the Las Vegas Speedway was impressive. Specification on the 6×4 unit, featured a 72” Raised roof sleeper cab with aero package that included 20” side extenders, drive wheel covers and fairings. It was powered by a Detroit DD15 litre, 400 hp diesel, mated to a 12-speed automated gearshift. Inside the massive cabin, the driver gained extra comfort from the Elite cockpit and lounge package. A real home from home!
Martin Daum, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for Daimler Trucks & Buses commented on the developments: “As a leader of our industry, we’ve been pioneering automated trucking. In 2015, our Freightliner Inspiration Truck got the first road license ever for an automated commercial vehicle. Now we take automated trucking to the next level: we’re ready to launch the first partially automated new Freightliner Cascadia in 2019 – and next, we tackle highly automated trucks. Highly automated trucks will improve safety, boost the performance of logistics and offer a great value proposition to our customers – and thus contribute considerably to a sustainable future of transportation.”