How Future Vehicle Technologies Could Shape Maintenance

Heavy commercial vehicles have come a long way, and no one can tell for certain what they will look like in 20 to 40 years. There is no magic portal that provides a clear glimpse into the future to figure out what technologies will crop up. However, we can make predictions based on the facts we already know about the present.

By reviewing the technologies available on today’s heavy commercial vehicles, we can have an insight into the direction the industry is headed. Innovative features such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) may ultimately lead to fully autonomous vehicles. In the same manner, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and telematics will likely lead to prescriptive fleet maintenance routines that allow fleets to service parts and components before they fail and configure operations to prolong the life of a vehicle.

ADAS Today, Autonomy Tomorrow

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) have outlined five levels of automation. Level 0 are vehicles with no driver-assist systems or automation while Level 5 are vehicles that can fully drive themselves anywhere in any conditions with no need for a driver. 

Many commercial trucks on the road today come with driver assistance systems to allow for Level 1 autonomy, with certain OEMs beginning to reach Level 2. Trucks classified as Levels 1 and 2 provide passive warnings as well as temporary active driver assistance. However, the driver must remain in control of the truck at all times, even with these systems engaged.

Levels 1 and 2

Today’s active driver assistance systems on commercial vehicles feature adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane-keep assist, automatic windshield wipers and headlights (On/OFF as eel as high beam functionalities), and automatic emergency braking (AEB). They also include additional numerous passive systems such as lane departure warnings, tire pressure monitors, and blind-spot monitoring.

In the foreseeable future, truck OEMs will seek to solidify Level 2 automation in commercial trucks. Many manufacturers who are yet to reach this level will unveil features such as ACC and lane keep assist, but those already at Level 2 will improve features to be more helpful to the driver and provide earlier and more precise warnings and adjustments.

Levels 3, 4, and 5

When a vehicle is operating at Level 3 automation, the driver doesn’t need to be in control of the truck at all times but must be available to take over operation should the truck request it by providing an alert.

To achieve Level 4 automation, the vehicle must be able to operate itself completely without driver input as long as certain parameters are met. It means the vehicle may only be able to run without a driver on pre-mapped roadways or only in specified weather conditions. Level 5 automation is the same as Level 4 but the vehicle operates without any restrictions (it’s a 100 percent driverless vehicle).

To achieve these high levels of automation, censors with environmental sensing capabilities and greater range can be paired with more powerful electronic control processing units for improved accuracy and robustness. Higher processing power will be required to enable higher levels of system redundancy and ensure they operate in all conditions, including automated and piloted modes. 

Maintenance: Preventive, Prescriptive, Predictive

Traditionally, fleet maintenance programs have been reactive and preventive. Parts and components on commercial trucks are serviced regularly to maximize their longevity, and they are typically replaced as they fail or come close to failing.

The trend is beginning to change as telematics become more commonplace on commercial trucks. While telematics has been in existence in the heavy-duty commercial vehicle industry for years, fleets are now beginning to utilize it to turn their preventive maintenance plans into predictive maintenance.

Sensors on the vehicle monitor different parts and components and send alerts to the fleet via satellites or mobile networks. The fleet can then utilize this information to figure out future maintenance needs for the vehicle.

Using telematics to monitor truck conditions in real-time enables fleet managers to tailor the traditionally rigid maintenance-by-checklist programs into a more needs-focused maintenance schedule. Combining tracking information and fault code alerts from telematics with the operations information on scheduled transport will allow fleets to plan ahead and minimize time spent in the shop.

Predictive maintenance can also help fleets minimize avoidable breakdowns, reduce total cost of ownership (TCO), and maximize uptime.

The Prescriptive Future

As predictive maintenance continues to ramp up today, a shift to prescriptive maintenance in the future will improve the process significantly. Prescriptive maintenance uses ML and AI to take historic uptime and service information for each individual truck into account. It also recognizes transport type patterns to allow fleets to proactively service each truck at the proper intervals, which maximizes uptime and minimizes the number of times a vehicle is pulled out of operation.

Prescriptive maintenance has all the features and characteristics of predictive maintenance, but it additionally provides what kind of maintenance and when maintenance should be performed. It also prescribes the necessary changes on the vehicle operation that will prolong the time between maintenance events, which extends the useful life of the vehicle.

This will be particularly helpful and absolutely necessary when the trucking industry reaches the upper levels of autonomy. With no driver on board to monitor systems, parts, and components, the fleet will need a system that communicates the status of the vehicle consistently.

Safety System Sensors

Truck safety systems rely on different sensors to provide the raw data required to calculate risks and alert the driver of an impending incident. In the case of active systems, that data should enable the system to take action if the driver does not.

Here are the common sensors that will be continually improved to enhance safety on the road:

• Ultrasonic sensors – These sensors operate by sending out audio waves at a specific frequency and waiting for the waves to bounce back to calculate how far the vehicle is away from an object or another vehicle. They are mostly used in forward and reverse proximity sensors.
• Radar sensors – These sensors send out electromagnetic waves to determine how far an object is and how fast it is approaching. Radar sensors are mostly used in blind spot detection as well as forward collision detection and mitigation.
• Lidar (Light detection and ranging) – This is a more advanced form of radar sensors that scans the environment using a safe invisible laser beam to generate a three-dimensional view of the truck’s surrounding area. Combined with camera data, lidar can detect the type of object the truck is approaching (animal, vehicle, pedestrian, etc.).
• Cameras – Cameras are used in certain forward collision detection and correction applications. They are also helpful for maneuverability at low speeds, monitoring driver awareness, and recording unexpected incidents.
• Infrared – Infrared cameras generate an image using infrared radiation to help the vehicle see in the dark.
• Machine vision – This camera works by analyzing and interpreting images to calculate risks. It helps in lane-keep assist, collision warning/avoidance systems, and blind-spot monitoring.
• GPS (global positioning satellites) – This system pinpoints the truck’s location and speed by determining the distance from global satellites.
• Accelerometer – This type of sensor measures acceleration and deceleration to determine sudden unexpected collisions or maneuvers.

The Verdict

It’s not clear when the industry will reach these automation levels, but a lot of progress is being made toward that end. One clear thing is that data processing power and the evolution of various sensors and cameras will play a key role on the road to vehicle autonomy. When these improvements are combined with electronically-controlled chassis systems, the stage will be set for the next generation of mobility.