Wabco has demonstrated its OptiDrive system – advanced automated manual transmission (AMT) technology for trucks and buses – at its test track in Chennai, India. The company is aiming for higher penetration of the Indian market.
Wabco’s AMT systems are available from 5- to 16-speed applications, including its OptiDrive modular AMT system.
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“Wabco expects to satisfy growing market demand and to expand its base of customers for AMT systems in India, which currently includes original equipment manufacturers and fleets,” said P. Kaniappan, managing director, Wabco India. “Wabco has been working on AMT programmes in India with major commercial vehicle manufacturers for their respective truck and bus platforms, and we believe our industry in India could benefit greatly from adopting this technology more broadly.”
Wabco’s OptiDrive technology automatically engages the vehicle’s clutch and gear shift actuation. It takes into account the driver’s operation, engine torque, vehicle load and road inclination, resulting in optimised gear shifting, which increases fuel economy up to 5% for trucks and buses in congested city traffic and on long hauls alike.
Wabco’s AMT systems also free drivers from frequent shifting, reducing their stress and fatigue, while allowing drivers to further concentrate on traffic conditions. Optimised gear shifting improves driver effectiveness, particularly among less experienced drivers, and it enables more and better qualified drivers.
“OptiDrive shows Wabco’s technology leadership in automated manual transmissions as it continues to gain acceptance globally among makers of trucks, buses and transmissions, particularly in Asia and North America,” said Leon Liu, Wabco president, Asia. “Wabco pioneered our industry’s first AMT system in 1986 in Europe where today more than 60% of trucks adopt AMT solutions, and Wabco is further differentiated as we still remain our industry’s only independent supplier of compressed air-powered AMT systems.”
In addition, Wabco’s AMT solutions reduce wear on transmission components, lowering maintenance costs over the vehicle’s lifetime. Optimised gear-shifting also reduces emissions, resulting in an environmentally cleaner footprint for fleets.
Wabco has sold more than 2m AMT systems worldwide since its introduction.
