Freightliner, a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), will unveil its new flagship Class 8 on-highway Cascadia model on Oct. 15. On Oct. 1, it showed a silhouette of the new truck on a LinkedIn post. It will be the fifth generation of the popular truck.
Freightliner is the nation’s leading original equipment manufacturer of commercial trucks, and Cascadia is the largest-selling big rig in the U.S. The last version of the Cascadia was introduced in 2019.
The new model was outlined on the background of a Portland, Oregon street map. Portland is Freightliner’s headquarters. The glimpse of the new truck reveals a more aerodynamic style with a design emphasis on the headlights. The company promises enhanced safety and autonomous driving features.
“Generation after generation. Innovation after innovation. We focus on delivering for our customers. Here’s to those who know the future starts with them! Join us on October 15th as we unveil the fifth generation Cascadia,” said DTNA in a press release.
The 2019 Cascadia featured autonomous level 2 functions with software capable of lateral steering, horizontal acceleration, and deceleration. The truck used Freightliner’s Detroit Assurance platform with radar and camera information for lane departure and lane assist protection. The first Cascadia was introduced in 2007, replacing the Century and Columbia models at a development cost of $400 million.
Freightliner introduced its battery-electric eCascadia in 2022. Earlier this year, the truck maker announced plans for an autonomous, battery-electric eCascadia demonstration truck with Torc Robotics’ autonomous driving software plus Level 4 sensor and computing technology.
Level 4 is considered full autonomy with the ability of a driver to take over if needed. Torc Robotics is Daimler Truck’s independent self-driving technology division.
On its website, Freightliner says the eCascadia offers, “Superior performance. Exceptional driver comfort. Smart, automated safety systems. The Freightliner eCascadia electric semi-truck brings it all together in a design that’s built on the proven, aerodynamic Cascadia platform—and ready for any short-haul route. It’s a truck that’s built to move forward. And pull an entire industry along with it.”
