Our Very Own 'Top Ten' List

More news from the front: today I’m writing from Charlotte, NC, where I’ve just attended a Transportation Technology Summit hosted by Panasonic, makers of Toughbook computers. Panasonic brought together a diverse group of experts to talk about advances in wireless service information, a type of technology that can, of course, be easily exploited with Toughbook computers.   The keynote speaker of the Summit was Mary-Beth Kellenberger, senior automotive & transportation consultant for Frost & Sullivan, who talked about the current state of the heavy-duty maintenance industry. Among many nuggets of wisdom she shared with the audience, once stood out: Kellenberger’s research has found that ten technologies will be affecting the heavy duty market more than any others in the coming years. They are, in no particular order: Auxiliary Power Units (APUs); Automatic and Automated Transmissions; Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR); Collision Warning Systems; Telematics; Air Ride Suspensions; Anti-lock Brakes (ABS); Electronic Stability Control; Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS); and HVAC Systems. These technologies will have the greatest impact on your future maintenance planning in terms of technicians, facilities and parts, according to Kellenberger.   Coincidentally, these are all topics that have been covered in the pages of Fleet Maintenance recently, or will be in the very near future, so I feel that we’re right on the nose with our editorial content. Would you agree? Are these the ten top technology drivers that are changing your world? Are there others that you think will have a greater effect? I’m all ears.