The Mack Superliner has become a popular model in the conventional heavy prime mover market, finding favour with operators looking for the high power option of the 685hp MP10, driving through the M-Drive AMT. The model combines the stability advantages of a traditional conventional with a state-of-the-art transmission capable of handling the heavy stuff.
By moving the Mack designs forward to a more sophisticated electronic set-up, the trucks can now utilise the latest iterations of the M-drive with a crawler gear option now available, the mDrive HD. This enhances startability and gradeability to enable these models to get rated at higher GCMs up towards 140 tonnes, without having to resort to fitting hub reduction drive axles.
This truck is another step in a process which has been going on for some time, where the Volvo Group is bringing all of its brands towards the state-of-the-art in modern truck design, but in a step-by-step way so that many of the traditionalists are gradually won over to the 21st century way of building and driving a truck.
Of course, there will be diehards who just want to drive a Superliner, circa 1990, but these days the technology has become so much smarter that most of the time the system will be more efficient without driver intervention. Many drivers find it difficult to give up control to an electronic system, some still distrust cruise control, but the pace of improvement in the reliability and effectiveness of the software has now reached a point where the driver can choose to let the computers make most of the decisions while they keep it pointed in the right direction and intervene when needed.
With the introduction of the HD mDrive, the driver now has modes to switch between to adapt to the conditions at high masses, using things like the P+ mode. The AMT responds to mode changes by altering the bias of the shift changes to suit conditions. In tough conditions this will increase the rpm at which any up-changes are made, but at other times will hang onto gears when the driveline needs protection. It all depends if horsepower or torque is more important in that situation.
Selecting the HD is the mode for off-road driving at high masses and is designed to get the best out of the situation. In this mode, the AMT will also sense the extra load on the drive line, which will occur in a situation like that of a triple when it is cornering, as a result it will not make any ratio changes to protect the rear-end.
We are beginning to get used to the displays which come along with these modern systems and across the brands there is a certain amount of commonality in the way some of the features are presented. The bars looking like a variable pedestrian crossing are used to denote the set following distance in the adaptive cruise control are one example of a common symbol.
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There is some time needed for assimilation to the way each brand places the data on the driver’s screen, but the driver will soon know where the gear indicator is, which speed is set on the cruise control, etc.
Thought has gone into the ergonomics of the dash design by Mack. The light controls are all to the right of the steering column, close to the A-pillar and visible to the driver, unlike the hidden controls of the past.
Overall the layout is more logical than it has been in the past. The really important stuff is right there in front of the driver. The occasional analogue gauges are off to the far left, with the AMT controls, radio and UHF closer to the driver’s left hand.
There is then the array on the steering wheel itself, another feature we are becoming used to on all modern trucks. With just eight buttons, the driver can control the cruise control, phone, radio and central dash display with their thumbs while driving.
