A first glance: The Commercial Vehicle Show

The Commercial Vehicle Show held its annual media preview event last week, where companies had the opportunity to provide a sneak-peak at what is on display this year. James Day reports on some of the highlights

While trucks and vans are the main focus, this year’s Commercial Vehicle (CV) Show will have plenty to interest coach, bus and minibus operators in terms of both vehicles and technology. What follows is a sneak-peak of some of this year’s exhibitors. [wlm_nonmember][…]

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ATE UK
ATE UK will be launching a new automotive category to consolidate the Wheel Sentry wheel nut indicator and retainer and its vehicular products into a range focused exclusively on safety.

The selection of products will include beacons, reverse cameras, reflective tape, chevron signs, marker lights, winches, ratchet straps and more.

Continental Automotive
Throughout the CV Show, Continental Automotive will be running a range of seminars on smart tachograph legislation. The seminars will each last around one hour and are free to attend.

The company will also be discussing its range of podcasts, which are all related to smart tachograph technology. Launched in mid-February, the first series will include a total of five episodes covering topics such as legislation, training requirements and data management tools.
Continental will also be exhibiting tyres and workshop equipment.

Eberspächer

Alongside the usual converted minibuses and other vehicles which will share its stand, Eberspächer will be exhibiting a number of new climate control products. New heaters on display include 2kW and 4kW air heaters with brushless motors.

A new control unit is also on display – the Easystart Pro control switch, which has been designed to enhance a modern dashboard or bulkhead inside a vehicle cab and includes a timer function, allowing drivers to select a desired start time and heating duration. The unit can either be surface or flush-mounted and has an integrated temperature sensor that continually regulates temperature exactly as desired.

The EV10000 evaporator is replacing the EV510 in most applications, using specially coated materials to ensure condensate free operation. A brushless blower option (24v) increases service life in arduous operating environments. The EV7000 is a new product launched at the end of 2018, designed to fit the very narrow space available above the driver.

Another new product Eberspächer will showcase is a new hotbox for keeping hot food warm. The self-contained unit will maintain a temperature between 65 and 85 Celsius and can operate for 10 hours. It will be available in two sizes – 140 litres and 330 litres.

Ford

Ford’s new two-tonne Transit will be making its UK public debut after appearing at the IAA Show in Hanover last year. A formal launch of the vehicle is expected in September in both the UK and EU.

The company said the new two-tonne Transit provides increased load-carrying capability and upgraded powertrains which optimise fuel efficiency by up to 7%. It also has a new diesel mild hybrid powertrain option which Ford claims will deliver an additional fuel efficiency improvement of around 3% compared with the standard diesel model, and up to 8% in stop-start urban applications.

Ford had paused its production of factory-built minibuses due to new legislation towards the end of 2018 which required them to be fitted with automatic braking systems.

Iain Brooks, CV Product Marketing Manager, explained: “At the time, our minibus engines did not support automatic braking, but we’re now returning to the minibus market with our new two-litre Panther engine.

“The engine has increased power output of between 130 and 170hp, compared with the 125-155hp before. It’s quite a large increase in power.”
Towards the end of the year, factory-built Transits will be available with 10-speed automatic transmission for the first time. Previously, only manual transmission has been available for minibuses.

Hankook
Hankook Tyre UK will present its commercial vehicle tyres.

Brett Emerson, Managing Director for the UK, said: “Our share of the market has grown considerably in recent years, thanks to our reputation for producing outstanding tyres delivering superb mileage and reliability which is just what businesses need especially when the focus is on total cost of ownership.”

Amongst the tyres on display is the SmartCity AU04+, Hankook’s tyre specification for electric buses. The tyre manufacturer said it is following increasing customer requirements for electric-powered urban bus tyres. As these vehicles are generally heavier than conventional buses due to their energy storage units, the tyres also have an increased load index.

To keep battery energy loss to a minimum, Hankook claims the SmartCity AU04+ also stands out on account of its very low rolling resistance. In urban stop and go traffic, bus tyres must be able to cope with a particularly heavy load and guarantee safe use at the same time; therefore, special attention was paid to adaptation of the shoulder width and structure during development of the new electric bus tyre, in order to ensure even wear.

Another product on show is the SmartTouring AL22 tyre, designed for long-distance coach travel. The company said it is anticipating that long-distance coach travel will grow in significance, and thus there will be an increasing demand for high-technology coach tyres in this category. The Hankook SmartTouring AL22 can be used on all axle positions and Hankook claims it provides maximum ride and rolling comfort, excellent concentricity, a very low rolling noise and optimised rolling resistance and low wear for particularly efficient travel.
The Hankook stand will also feature the concept tyres from the 2018 Hankook Tyre Design Innovation Programme ‘Extend Future Life Beyond Mobility,’ designed by students from the Royal College of Art in London.

Keytracker
Keytracker provides secure management of all keys and handheld devices.

The company said its mechanical systems are power free and a simple, effective way to organise and manage keys, while its electronic key and asset systems enhance security for quantities of keys and handheld devices, combining cloud-based software with corresponding easy to use hardware.

Additional security options include fingerprint and swipe card access with inclusive Breathalysers.

MAN

MAN Truck & Bus UK will showcase a range of vehicles, including a five-tonne TGE minibus and a 3.5 tonne TGE flatframe chassis cowl, both of which will be making their UK premiere.

The MAN TGE 5.180 4×2 SB Minibus is currently being converted by Minibus Options. The vehicle can carry up to 16 passengers plus driver, or be configured to carry 10 seated passengers plus two wheelchair users or 14 seated passengers plus one wheelchair user.

The vehicle, which will be built on a 4,490mm wheelbase with extended overhang, is powered by a 180hp two-litre four cylinder bi-turbo diesel engine, capable of producing 410Nm. It uses a six-speed manual gearbox and is rear wheel drive.

Meanwhile, the TGE 3.140 4x2F SB Flatframe Chassis Cowl sits 190mm lower than the standard frame TGE chassis cab. MAN said it has been specially designed with ease of use and bespoke body build in mind. It is designed to serve as an ideal base for conversion into low height luton and box bodies, campervan or motorhome applications, but may also have potential in the minibus market.

The vehicle is powered by a smaller 140hp two-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, coupled with a six-speed manual gearbox, and is front wheel drive. The example at the show will be built on a 4,490mm wheelbase.

Masternaut
Commercial fleet telematics provider Masternaut will be launching a new suite of features to help operators better manage their employees based in the field.

Masternaut Connect is designed to automatically keep track of whether jobs are completed as planned based on real-time vehicle positions.

The new service can also keep customers informed of arrival times and provide last-mile tracking.

The company said it will announce further functionality soon.

Orbcomm
Orbcomm’s fleet management monitoring and telematics solutions, which is usable with coach and bus fleets, will be demonstrated at the CV Show this year.

The company’s most recent innovations include its Bus & Coach Management system, which is designed to improve tachograph compliance, driver performance, fleet safety, operational efficiency and workforce productivity.

Denis Cody, European Marketing Director for Orbcomm, explained: “The system covers the 12-day bus rule for private tour operators. It understands that drivers need to have 45 hours rest before 12 days of work, and an extended period of leave afterwards, and automates this for the operator.

“The system has been specifically tailored for operators who carry out a lot of continental work.”

R2C Online

R2c Online will launch new real-time video functionality at the CV Show this year.

The new technology will allow technicians to request a video stream from both internal and external resource whilst carrying out digital vehicle inspections on the Smart Inspect app.

The company said it had found that a lack of real-time connection between technicians and back office or fleet customers was hampering performance for a number of users. It said slow communication in the workshop creates a range of knock-on effects, including a reduced first-time fix rate, unnecessary downtime, and disputes over work carried out.

Nick Walls, Managing Director at r2c Online, said: “The current lack of digital communication tools for technicians on the market, alongside our proven success of using camera to improve digital defect management processes, makes us confident that this feature will completely transform technician productivity.”

The system allows technicians to instantly communicate via live video stream or chat with workshop managers or back office staff for advice or job sign-off, or directly with the customer to provide proof of damage or repair. Franchised dealers will also have the ability to connect with manufacturer head offices using the new feature.

Live video streaming will be available via r2c’s Smart Inspect headset technology, which uses voice recognition and audio commands for handsfree digital vehicle inspections. It will also be available on the Smart Inspect app for any mobile or tablet device.

SmartWitness
SmartWitness has launched SmartView2 cloud-based software, after a pilot scheme involving over 100 companies which saw them experience reductions in insurance premiums of up to 25%, a reduction of insurance disputes of 38% and a reduction of incidents by 28% on the previous year.

The updated video tracking platform has several new features including on-demand HD video downloads for multiple cameras including interior cameras for all fleet vehicles, live data and video, maps feature that show exactly where vehicles are at any time, tracking which shows routes taken and position, driver and vehicle analysis on active time, idle time, distance travelled, speed, acceleration, braking turn and shock events with easy to view graphs.

SmartWitness CEO Paul Singh said: “SmartView has gone through the most vigorous testing possible – the scrutiny of the top fleet managers in the UK. They have fed back to our designers to give them exactly what they are looking for in live video tracking software. As a result we now have a system that delivers significant cost savings for insurance, safety and fuel efficiency.”

SmartWitness has also developed SmartAPI, allowing the video feeds from its system to plug into the software from other telematics providers. This is ideal for coach and bus operators who already have a telematics service and do not wish to go through the upheaval of changing their service provider.

SureCam

SureCam will be highlighting best practice on implementing connected camera technology at the CV Show this year. The company will be sharing customer case studies and use cases, and discussing ‘proven ways for clients to achieve a return on investment.’

Ian Hoskins, Sales and Marketing Director at SureCam, said: “At the CV show, we will be conducting one-to-one meetings with businesses and advising them on how to protect their drivers and reduce operating costs using connected camera technology.”

SureCam’s connected vehicle cameras provide instant access to HD video of any road collision, near miss or harsh driving event. The video footage is automatically uploaded to a secure server and the user is alerted within moments of the incident occurring.

Several options are available: a single forward facing camera, a dual facing camera which records the road ahead along with the driver, or a multicam system with between two and six cameras.

Totalkare

Totalkare is launching three new products at the show, including the first product from the company which is not a vehicle lift.
The new brake tester will be available in both mobile and in-ground forms. The company claims it is ‘technically advanced and amongst the strongest and most reliable brake testing systems currently available.’

The product is hot galvanised to improve durability and features a load simulation system and app technology, allowing data analysis on a smart phone or tablet. It can be adapted to test a range of vehicles, from minibuses to larger commercial vehicles.

David Hall, Managing Director of Totalkare, said: “We have a fantastic reputation in the industry, not just for the quality of our products but for the high level of customer service and support we offer. The introduction of the brake tester range is a direct response to frequent requests from customers, who want to buy these items from a workshop equipment partner it knows and trusts.

“We’ll have a lot of technical experts on hand at the CV Show and are looking forward to meeting many of the sector’s most influential figures.”

A spokesperson from Totalkare told CBW that the company received 10 enquiries about the product in less than 24 hours, after announcing it the day before the media preview event.

Alongside the new brake tester, Totalkare will be showcasing its wash bay mobile column lifts and a light commercial four-post fixed lift for the first time. The latter has been designed specifically for light commercial vehicles, like minibuses, and can lift up to 6,500kg.

Alongside the three new product launches, Totalkare will showcase its T8DC cable-free mobile columns lifts and two-post lift on Stand 4E80. The company will also be promoting its recently-launched online training platform.

“This is going to be our biggest CV Show in a while and is an ideal place for us to showcase three of our latest product ranges to a sizeable cross section of our customers,” commented David Hall.

Vauxhall

The world premiere of the new Vauxhall Vivaro will take place at the CV Show this year. A panel van version of the Vivaro will be on show, though a minibus – which will go by the name of Vivaro Life – is also available to order.

With Vauxhall now part of PSA Groupe, the new Vivaro will be built on an entirely different platform to the previous model. It is a completely new product – nothing is carrying across from old to new, the company said.

An electric version of the Vivaro is expected in 2020, which will be initially available as a commercial van. Vauxhall is engineering the drive as an additional powertrain option, instead of providing a unique model for the electric drive.

VisionTrack
VisionTrack will be showcasing its enhanced Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and an extended range of forward-and rear-facing cameras for light commercial vehicles.

The connected ADAS solution will now combine a forward-facing camera along with an in-vehicle fatigue and distraction monitor, driver feedback device and HD mobile digital video recorder (DVR). The technology is designed to enable operators to prevent traffic incidents by detecting and warning of driver risk.

The ADAS forward-facing camera identifies lane departure, forward collisions, tailgating and vulnerable pedestrians or cyclists, while the in-vehicle monitor can recognise if a driver is tired or distracted by actions such as mobile phone use, smoking and eating. As a result, a driver can immediately be alerted to any potential dangers via visual and/or audible warnings.

VisionTrack will also be introducing the latest additions to its LCV product range with four new camera options. The company has developed a mini version of its C20 forward-facing vehicle camera, which can be mounted directly on the windscreen to avoid any reflections or light interference.

Volkswagen
A new Engineered To Go (ETG) Crafter minibus will be on display from VW.

The vehicle is converted by TBC Conversion, but will be sold through VW’s standard price list. The ETG option is designed as an off-the-shelf product, as opposed to a more bespoke conversion through the Engineered For You option, where VW will find an appropriate conversion partner for the customer’s requirements. The new Crafter has now been in production at VW’s new factory in Września, Poland, for just over a year, having previously shared a production line with the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.

The Crafter conversion will be one of 14 vehicles on the VW stand.

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