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MOTORINDIA
l
April 2012
Daimler
unveils new transmission
Daimler Trucks North America
(DNTA) has introduced the Detroit
Transmission, the next component
in the complete Detroit power train.
Detroit claims to be the only OEM
that can offer a complete powertrain
package, which also includes Detroit
axles and Detroit’s industry-leading
heavy-duty engines.
The announcement was made at
MATS, and Daimler’s big presen-
tation was punctuated by a power
outage that darkened the entire show
for about 30 minutes. Undaunted,
Daimler executives unveiled the
new transmission and answered re-
porters’ questions.
“The Detroit integrated power-
train provides what no other manu-
facturer in North America can pro-
vide – a total product offering paired
with the engineering expertise and
global resources available only
through a company like Daimler,”
said Andreas Renschler, Head of
Daimler Trucks and member of the
Board of Management of Daimler
AG.
Daimler’s transmission technol-
ogy has been extensively tested and
proven in series production in select
European markets since 2005. The
12-speed, direct- or over-drive au-
tomated transmission combines a
traditional clutch-actuated manual
gearbox with high-speed, computer-
controlled shift and clutch actuators,
which automatically and seamlessly
selects the right shift pattern for fuel
economy and engine power.
With driver-
friendly features
such as a true
two-pedal sys-
tem for ease of
operation, heli-
cal gears that
reduce noise, a
control module
that communi-
cates with the
entire
power-
train, and a kick-
down
feature
that improves
vehicle accel-
eration, the De-
troit automated
transmission is
an ideal solution
for drivers at all
skill levels.
w
MATS 2012: Technology Watch
Daimler says the direct-drive
transmission will be the best
technical solution to maximize
fuel efficiency for line-haul/long
haul operations.