Scania has introduced a new digital dashboard that is opening the way to smarter, safer and better truck driving experiences for all kinds of drivers. The new Smart Dash is the Swedish commercial vehicle giant’s modular build and its latest digital solution that ensures Scania trucks offer a secure, connected and comforting atmosphere behind the wheel.

With the new Smart Dash, Scania drivers will have excellent control over their truck and surroundings, receiving discreet nudges from their smart truck companion whenever a hazard is anticipated or an action is requested, said Scania in a statement.

Describing the Smart Dash, the statement from Scania presented the following salient points:

• Scania Smart Dash is the “latest jigsaw piece” in Scania’s quest for transforming the transport industry, making it smart and sustainable
• Limitless opportunities to individualise the driving experience while always having the latest data and information available
• A healthy mix of manual controls and digital displays offers first class support and simplified experience for the drivers
• Scania has put great effort into making the support and safety systems intuitive and as unobtrusive as possible for the drivers

Describing the Smart Dash, Stefan Dorski, Senior Vice President and Head of Scania Trucks, said: “Apart from great overview and endless opportunities to individualise the driver station, our Smart Dash is also the leverage for increased communication and digitalisation in and around the truck.

“Scania trucks can now be closely integrated with everything from the fleet management system to the actual driving environment and an array of cloud-based services for improved safety, uptime and productivity.”

According to Scania, the new Smart Dash represents the latest advance in human and machine interface solutions for driver stations in heavy trucks. The driver chooses which information to display or omit and the whole set-up is made for being intuitive and user-friendly with a smart mix of physical and digital controls that offers overview and peace of mind, without cognitive overload.

The Smart Dash driver station always includes two displays: the Driver Display in front of the driver and the Centre Information Display (a touch screen that is available in two sizes – 10.1 or 12.9 inches). The driver can give input via the touch screen, by pushing buttons or by voice steering. Scania said it has settled for a balanced mix between physical and digital controls, steering away from the common mistake of hiding vital functions one or two levels down in a menu.

Eduardo Landeo, Product Manager, Scania Trucks, explained: “The most well-used functions should of course be readily available. It is all about offering the drivers the best possible experience and making sure that new technology always supports the drivers rather than annoying them or bringing cognitive overload. Or even, in the worst-case scenarios, create situations where their focus wanders from the road and direct vision to adjust basic things such as the interior temperature.”

Scania’s latest truck generation offers many safety functions as standard when sold on European markets. Other functions are optional and actually go beyond the legal minimum standards, said the truck maker.
“One example is our Advanced Emergency Braking for Vulnerable Road Users (AEB VRU): Instead of just warning that there is a pedestrian in front of the truck, the vehicle also does the actual braking when necessary,” explained Scania in its statement.

Landeo added: “With this introduction, we open up a digital and connected spectrum that will benefit drivers as well as fleet owners and fleet managers. Smart and safe trucks will bring increased productivity, fewer accidents and safer drivers. The driver will experience that theirs working tool really supports them, providing everything from information about the truck itself and possible hazards to general guidance and their favourite pods with crystal-clear sound.”

Customers’ expectations of connected vehicles and active safety features are constantly rising, said Scania, and its Smart Dash meets these trends with its user-friendly and modular digital interface that includes both over the air updates and 5G potential. The “never-ending support” that the safety systems offer is the driver’s best tool for avoiding serious accidents.

“No matter how experienced or careful a driver is, with all the time they spend on the roads there will always come a day when he or she is eternally grateful for the alert from one of the warning systems,” said Landeo.