At the recent Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting held in Nashville, TN, we talked with a number of fleets to hear what they have to say about some of the key trends impacting the trucking industry.
We heard opinions on what the trucks of the future will look like, how engine technologies will change, the progress being made on autonomous vehicles and the impact new CK-4 and FA-4 diesel engine oils will have.
Engine Oils
During the TMC S.3 Study Group’s Full Tech Session on aftertreatment – which I had the privilege to be a part of in the planning stage – a consistent topic of conversation was around the new CK-4 and FA-4 heavy duty diesel engine oils. According to most, fleets seem to be doing well adjusting to the change. Many of them felt well prepared and were not overly concerned about making a switch.
Not surprisingly, multiple fleets wanted reassurance about the backwards compatibility of the new CK-4 oils with the predecessor CJ-4 oils. We talked with many fleets and assured them that the new CK-4 oils are backwards compatible with the previous CJ-4 oils, while also providing performance improvements in high temperature viscosity control, oxidation resistance and wear protection.
Many fleets also said they preferred to simplify inventory management and keep one type of oil in stock versus two, since filling some trucks with FA-4 and others with CK-4 oils could be more expensive and time-consuming, along with the possibility of cross contamination.
Since most fleets are not made up of brand new trucks, I don’t expect a lot of fleets will really begin to use the new FA-4 oils for at least a couple of years. The reason for this is that FA-4 oils are designed for trucks with 2016 or 2017 model year engines and are not backwards compatible with all engine make and models.
We suggest checking with your OEM or lubricant supplier for backward compatibility recommendations.
Over the next several years, we are sure this question will come up more often as more fleets diversify their mix of older and even newer vehicles in use.
Trucks of the Future
TMC’s SuperTruck Study Group gave a presentation highlighting the latest OEM technologies in the next generation trucks, engines, drivetrains and trailers to increase fuel economy and cut down further on greenhouse gases.
We are already seeing the results of ambitious research projects starting to come to life, like the U.S. DOE’s SuperTruck program. A public-private partnership started in 2009, it aims to advance the development of new technologies that can meet increasingly stringent vehicle efficiency standards.
Working side-by-side with Volvo engineers, ExxonMobil lubricant experts helped identify the best lubricant solutions to optimize fuel economy and ensure critical component protection for the Volvo SuperTruck’s engine and driveline.
In extensive on-road testing, the Volvo SuperTruck demonstrated the ability to exceed the ambitious goals of DOE’s SuperTruck initiative, achieving an 88 percent increase in freight efficiency – eclipsing the DOE’s goal of a 50 percent increase.
Engines
For the foreseeable future, diesel will continue to be the most widely used engine technology for a number of years to come. We will see OEMs continuing to focus on introducing engines that deliver greater fuel economies and offer the potential to reduce emissions, typically through the incorporation of aftermarket treatment devices.
Longer-term, we see natural gas engine technologies becoming more popular for long-haul trucking, but also anticipate it will rise in urban applications, like commercial bus transport and vocational services.
Driverless Vehicles
While the topic of driverless vehicles was discussed at the TMC meeting, it did not dominate conversation as some outside the industry might expect.
However, over the next few years, we anticipate seeing more progress with driverless commercial vehicles, like Freightliner’s Inspiration Truck, which, in 2015, became the first licensed autonomous commercial truck to operate on an open public highway in the United States.
We recently saw Volvo test the capabilities of its self-driving version FMX truck inside the underground Boliden mine in Kristineberg, Sweden.
At ExxonMobil, we are actively involved in supporting these types of technology advancements, working closely with various strategic partners.
Paul Cigala is a commercial vehicle applications engineer with ExxonMobil (www.exxonmobil.com), which has specialized in heavy duty lubricants for more than 80 years. It Mobil Delvac (mobildelvac.com) heavy duty diesel engine oils deliver enhanced performance and engine protection with formulations that help resist oil degradation, reduce sludge build up, prevent wear and ultimately help extend drain intervals and engine life.