ATLANTA, Ga. – Oct. 28, 2019 – Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is utilizing its
display at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show (NACV) to highlight new product and
service solutions, including the introduction of the revolutionary Dynamic Lease Program from
Daimler Truck Financial (DTF). The full complement of DTNA’s innovative solutions to keep
drivers and customers moving are on exhibit at NACV (booth #611).
“The North American Commercial Vehicle Show is the ideal venue to showcase the latest
solutions for our customers,” said Roger Nielsen, president, and CEO, Daimler Trucks North
America. “The innovative work of our collective team is represented in the products and services
displayed in our booth, designed to demonstrate the complete customer journey of today, as
well as the future.”
Notable Customer-Driven Solutions from DTNA at NACV
* An all-new and unique telematics-based solution for vehicle financing, the Dynamic
Lease created by DTF and powered by the Detroit Connect Platform enables pay-as-
you-drive financing to match lease payments to billable miles.
* The latest Freightliner Cascadia enhanced with additional aerodynamic and powertrain
improvements to deliver up to a five percent fuel efficiency gain over the previous model.
It is the first truck in series production in North America to offer SAE level 2 automation
when equipped with the full Detroit Assurance 5.0 suite of safety systems.
* The next-generation heavy-duty Detroit DD15 Gen 5 engine (available 2021) boosts fuel
economy and lowers CO2 emissions for the Class 8 market – a win for real cost of
ownership and a win for the climate.
* Western Star hints at the vocational truck of the future with the showcase of one-of-a-
kind design models.
* DTNA’s Aftermarket team launches Excelerator, the company’s new e-commerce
platform to streamline the parts ordering process and speed order fulfillment time.
Dynamic Lease from Daimler Truck Financial
To enable customers to finance the next generation of connected commercial vehicles, DTF has
introduced a pay-as-you-drive lease financing solution exclusively for DTNA. This revolutionary
telematics-based financing option is powered by the embedded Detroit Connect Platform and
debuts on the market-leading Cascadia spec’d with Detroit engines. The Dynamic Lease will be
released in late Q1 2020 and will empower customers to better manage cash flow by aligning
billable miles to the lease payment, placing them firmly in the driver’s seat for the road ahead.
“We are excited to offer this innovative financing solution starting with the Freightliner Cascadia,
the most innovative truck on the market” said Tobias Waldeck, head of Daimler Truck Financial.
“The Dynamic Lease offers our customers an incredible amount of flexibility to manage their
business and is a great complement to our other products.”
Efficiency leading, Safest-ever Freightliner Cascadia
The Cascadia was recently enhanced with additional aerodynamic and powertrain management
improvements to provide up to a five percent fuel efficiency gain over the previous model. The
enhanced Cascadia further benefits from the addition of Detroit Assurance 5.0. Aided by the use
of virtual reality (VR), NACV attendees will have the opportunity to take the advanced safety
suite for a “test drive” directly on the show floor. Participants in the VR experience will
experience firsthand how industry-firsts like Active Brake Assist 5.0 with full braking for moving
pedestrians, Adaptive Cruise Control to zero miles per hour, and Lane Keep Assist enable the
first SAE Level 2 automated driving experience for heavy-duty trucks.
Also demonstrated in the VR experience is Side Guard Assist with the full-trailer sweep. The
industry’s only aid of its kind, Side Guard Assist uses a robust sensor array to alert the driver to
the presence of vehicles, stationary objects, or pedestrians alongside both truck and trailer
when the driver attempts to make a lane change or right-hand turn, maximizing safety in both
receiving yards and urban driving situations.
“The Freightliner Cascadia is the most efficient truck on the market and continues to improve for
customers and fleets by getting smarter, working harder and running cleaner,” said Richard
Howard, senior vice president, Sales, and Marketing. “Equipped with an Integrated Detroit
Powertrain and Detroit Assurance 5.0, the Cascadia delivers a seamless driver experience and
an unrivaled focus on safety to bring us one step closer to our goal of accident-free driving.”
New from Detroit
Detroit DD15 Gen-5
The Cascadia further extends its Class 8 fuel-efficiency leadership thanks to the new DD15 Gen
5 engine, available in 2021. Updates to the next generation engine will allow for more efficient
combustion which increases fuel economy and reduces CO2 emissions. The DD15 Gen 5 will
further benefit drivers with increased performance and durability.
The DT12, Detroit's automated manual transmission (AMT) gets even better for 2020 with
higher overall ratios that will contribute to fuel efficiency improvements and provide better low-
speed maneuverability. New side Power Take-Off capabilities allow increased flexibility and
expanded application coverage.
During NACV show days, (October 28 through October 31) live teardowns of both the DT12 and
a Detroit DD5 mid-range engine will be conducted on the show floor. The engine and
transmission teardowns will demonstrate the robustness and reliability of these proven industry
leaders as both have been subjected to the rigors of real-world use. The DT12, which has more
than 950,000 miles, is three years old and was used for long haul/line delivery in a Classic
Cascadia. The DD5 has over 360,000 registered miles delivering mail, and it is one of the first
production DD5s placed into service.
Detroit Connect improves the drive toward maximum uptime to keep Freightliner, Western Star
and Thomas Built Bus customers up and running with the use of Remote Diagnostics and
Remote Updates. New enhancements to the platform include a smart alert system that
accurately identifies and classifies various fault events by the level of fleet and driver response
required. This results in reduced unplanned downtime and better alignment with planned
preventative maintenance events.
Available since early 2018 for the new Cascadia, Remote Updates, which allows the select engine
parameters including road and cruise speeds to be remotely updated by fleets will be
complemented in 2020 with Firmware Over the Air to further reduce the need to take a vehicle
off the road for select service updates.
Western Star’s Truck of the Future Student Design Inspiration
In collaboration with the ArtCenter College of Design in Los Angeles, Western Star put young,
aspiring design students to the tough task of designing the tough trucks of the future. Select
examples of the students’ designs will be on display and include models of a snowplow that
vaporizes snow, a concrete truck with a forward-facing chute, a dump truck with see-through A-
pillars and many more creative and unique solutions to enhance driver and product safety. Also
on display at NACV – and currently available for purchase at Western Star dealers – are the
4700, 4900, and 5700XE.
“Western Star has a hard-earned reputation for building the toughest trucks for tough
environments,” said David Carson, president, Western Star Trucks. “Demanding vocational
applications deserve purposeful innovation and Western Star will be ready for the truck of the
future with a laser focus on being the most trusted tool on the job site.”
Aftermarket & Alliance Parts
At NACV, DTNA introduces Excelerator, the company’s new e-commerce platform, coming in
2020. Excelerator links DTNA’s Dealer Management Systems to streamline the parts ordering
process and improve fulfillment times. The Excelerator platform addresses the growing
propensity for online parts ordering and simplifies the process by opening up access to DTNA’s
parts catalog within its expanding distribution network and growing footprint of Alliance Parts
stores. Rapid delivery through a dedicated delivery service further contributes to increased
Uptime.
DTNA’s focus on improving the customer experience is evident in a multi-pronged approach to
reduce the time spent on repairs, both in the service bay and in the office. Guided Diagnostics
for the DTNA Techlane app, a streamlined pre-authorization process, and a forthcoming Voice
App for technicians is all dedicated efforts to speed up turnaround times at the dealer. The
launch of a new One-Stop program in November 2019 will eliminate the variations in claim
processing requirements and procedures for customers and dealers when filing for supplier
extended coverage programs for parts supplied by DTNA’s top suppliers.
“We pioneered the concept of 24-hour turnaround and have gotten a running start to ensure
every one of our customers is back on the road as quickly as possible,” said Stefan Kurschner,
senior vice president, Aftermarket. “Investments in our parts distribution network, our
dealerships and our new Excelerator e-commerce platform continue to set the bar for the
industry and deliver an exceptional customer experience.”
More information about DTNA’s products and services, including audio recordings of technical
discussions from NACV can be found at TheFutureDrivenByYou.com.
