International flags remote tune-ups

America's International Truck says it's set to become the first commercial vehicle manufacturer to introduce 'Over The Air' (OTA) reprograming of its truck engines, with the Illinois-based company poised to roll out the technology in the US from early next year.

International says its OTA technology will allow customers to reprogram the engine control modules (ECMs) of International trucks fitted with N9, N10 and N13 engines, with the system recently completing its initial trials ahead of final testing in customer fleets in coming months.

Bill Kozek, Navistar President, Truck and Parts, said the technology would usher in a new era for heavy vehicle maintenance.

"Over-the-air reprogramming in International trucks will revolutionize the way our customers' trucks are serviced and maintained," he said.

"This is another important example of how our connected vehicle leadership is paving the way for future advancements that will drive improvements in vehicle uptime and real-world, bottom-line results for our customers."

International says OTA reprogramming of a truck's ECM can be carried out quickly and easily at a customer's base via a remote interface and a secure Wi-Fi connection.

"OTA lays the groundwork for a pipeline of connected vehicle services such as partner engine and component calibration updates, body control module updates and future cellular capabilities," said Mike Cerilli, General Manager, Navistar's Connected Vehicle Business.

While the technology won't apply to the Cummins-powered International ProStar due to reach our shores next year, the announcement does highlight how connected vehicle technology is gaining pace, and has the potential to unlock new levels of efficiency across many aspect of road freight.