The fab four
The four trucks in question – the FH, FH16, FM and FMX – are all heavy-duty vehicles. Incredibly, the trucks were stacked on top of each other in a teaser video released just one day before the launch. The video certainly was something unforgettable. Can the same be said of the actual trucks?
Judging by initial first impressions, the answer to that question is most certainly “yes” – especially if you’re a transport operator wanting to lure drivers. We say this because all four truck ranges are designed around the driver – which is massively important in places such as Europe where trucks are quite literally standing sans drivers. In fact, in Europe, at least 20 percent of all driver jobs are vacant. In France alone the driver shortage is currently standing at 20 000 – and that’s a conservative estimate. This means that transport operators need to do everything within their power to attract drivers.
Enter the new FH, FH16, FM and FMX, which are set to do exactly that. As Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks, proudly noted at the launch: “Our aim is to be our customers’ best business partner by making them even more competitive and help them attract the best drivers in an increasingly tough market.”
A better place to work
As we all know, the cab is a driver’s office and also his second home. Accordingly, Volvo Trucks focused on developing trucks with vastly improved cabs that are more efficient and more attractive too – that would ultimately woo drivers. There are lots of improvements to the vehicles – not least of which are positive steps when it comes to visibility, comfort, ergonomics, noise levels, manoeuvrability and safety.
The new Volvo FM and Volvo FMX, for instance, boast a new cab, as well as many of the same instrument display functions as their larger Volvo counterparts. They’re much more spacious than before – in fact, interior volume has been increased by up to one cubic metre. Visibility in these trucks has been bolstered by the incorporation of larger windows, a lowered door line and new mirrors.
The exterior changes to the FH aren’t quite as dramatic. However, the signature V-shaped headlights have now been moved outwards to align with the feature line of the cab doors. We also really like the bigger iron mark, which screams “Volvo” – even from a distance.
It’s not on top, it’s inside
But unlike the old Cremora ad – which proclaimed “it’s not inside, it’s on top” – the pièce de résistance with the new Volvo range is the interior. All four of the trucks have a vastly improved and updated interior – and we reckon that drivers will love this.
The most noticeable feature is the new dashboard, which features a fully digital 12-inch high-resolution instrument display. The driver can choose between four different screen views (depending on the driving situation and the information they prefer to have displayed).
There’s also a nine-inch side display, and it’s there to provide infotainment, navigation assistance, transport information and camera monitoring. The driver can interact with the display via lots of different means: he (or she) can use buttons on the steering wheel, voice control or simply touch the screen.
As Carin Larsson, chief designer for user experience and human machine interaction for Volvo Trucks, noted at the launch, it’s all about making the driver’s job easier and safer. “Easy access to a variety of information increases the driver’s ability to perform more efficiently, safely and comfortably. The presentation of information has improved significantly with the new displays. Demanding interactions are now concentrated on the side display, which is placed within easy reach of the driver’s seat. Distractions are therefore minimised as key driving information is shown clearly on the user-friendly and easily-viewable instrument display,” he said.
Engines and safety features
While Volvo has made massive strides when it comes to e-mobility, the new truck range boasts internal combustion engines. We won’t go into too much detail about the engines right now; we first need to establish exactly what we’re getting in sunny South Africa (and that information will only be available closer to the local launch).
However, we do expect the trucks to feature even better safety features (which is saying something; these are Volvos we’re talking about after all). At the world launch, the company announced that the Volvo FH and Volvo FH16 had gained adaptive high beam headlights. The Electronically controlled Brake System (EBS), which is a prerequisite for safety features such as Collision Warning with Emergency Brake and Electronic Stability Control, will also be standard. Descent Control, which sets a maximum speed to help prevent unwanted acceleration when travelling downhill, is another terrific safety-enhancing feature. Volvo Dynamic Steering will be optional.
So, there you have it – in a nutshell: trucks that are safer than ever before and also much nicer to drive. Sounds like a good deal to us …
