DALLAS, TX – Tom Diefenbaker will tell you that electronic engine systems are not only critical for getting the most out of today’s trucks, they will become even more vital when the next engine-emission rules go into effecting 2007.
“Along with the new emission standards in 2007, we also face an onboard diagnostic system requirement as well,” Diefenbacker, director of electronic products for Detroit Diesel Corp., told Fleet Owner.
“In 2007, we have to be able to constantly monitor the performance of the emission system, logging data in case the system doesn’t cut emissions enough,” he explained at the Great American Truck Show. “That’s why diagnostic information will become so important in 2007.”
Diefenbacker added that engine electronics will also help fleets better manage the major factor driving the fuel economy of their low-emission trucks: driver behavior.
“Driver behavior is the biggest factor in the fuel economy trucks get,” he said. “Having engine performance data, then, helps drivers improve their ability to meet the standards fleets set in order to get the best fuel economy and performance from their trucks. That information will become even more important to help offset the fuel economy impact of low-emission engine technology in the future."