Mercedes-Benz has announced that the company’s Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) can now be added to Actros, Antos and Arocs series of trucks.
According to the automaker, the technology is designed to cut down fuel consumption by 5%, which will in turn reduce the operating costs of a truck.
Initially, the PPC technology will only be available across Europe, and according to the company, the trucks must be registered from August 2012 and must be equipped with PowerShift 3 transmission.
The company will also provide an additional control unit, which forms a major component of the retrofitting kit.
PPC is capable of regulating the vehicle speed, and with the help of 3D maps, the system uses peak momentum gained on downhill gradients, intervenes in the gearshift strategy, and throttles back at the right time when cresting hills.
It facilitates a predictive style of driving based on round-the-clock knowledge of the route and vehicle.
The system is also capable of storing navigation data covering almost 300.000 km in the form of digital 3D maps.
The Installation of PPC in Germany will costs around € 1500 (plus VAT).
