Styria's European Transport

[Michel]

My understanding is/was that these Mini Vans, converted to carry People, are commercial Vehicles and do not have the strict safety requirements of 5 Star Passenger vehicles ??

Sadly, it is still like that in Africa, but not in modern countries where NCAP is prevalent.

 

[Patrick_R]

Hi Sean,
I don't think it has been this way for many years.

it still is in the United States for pickup trucks though.

Agreed.
All people movers in Australia will have a 5 star ANCAP rating.
Massive amounts of safety systems (active & passive) as they have been designed from the ground up to carry people.
They are no longer a commercial vehicle then converted to carry people, as Bryce mentions.

However do not think it will be a great idea to turn a new 2020 Mitsubishi Express carry van into a people mover,
it’s even deadly carrying only the driver & payload.
One thing I remember from one of the write ups was “partial occupant ejection from side impact tests” WTH

This is Australia's first car to receive a zero-star safety rating — here's why

Mitsubishi is facing questions over its new van after it flunked safety tests, becoming the first car ever to receive a zero-star rating from Australia's car safety program.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Patrick_R]

I forgot to reply to this amazing offer.
I'm interested ... very at your convenience.

Lol
Don’t know about an “amazing offer” Michel. I’ll just bore more people to death lol

But in short, we now have a full powertrain engine to final drive all designed to talk to each other via Volvo’s latest TEA 2 electrical architecture.
Each item has its own ECU, and now operates at 512kbps instead of 256kbps on a CAN (Closed Area Network) system.
So instead of one ECU making decisions at half the speed, for all systems, we now have 4 (engine, transmission, cabin & chassis) making decisions for just their components they look after but now at twice the speed.
The truck is grade sensing and load sensing, so the truck can decide exactly how much boost it will need based on grade & payload.
It even knows when it’s going down hill with the engine brake on, not to up shift.
It will also manage its autonomous braking & its following distance based on the payload and grade.

This 7.7L engine probably wouldn’t survive any great deal of time with boost running up to 110%, but it easily does it if the need arises for a short period of time.

This power train can even disconnect its water pump (allows faster warm ups, but also saves on parasitic loss of Hp) it’s alternator and it’s air compressor, and air conditioning if needed.

We now produce 1428Nm from this 7.7L engine when needed, where previously it would have taken a 10L engine to do this, but that 10L engine would be producing this torque all the time the driver puts his foot down.
We now only produce maximum torque (more important in trucks than cars) when it needs it.

The rest of the time it is focused on fuel saving, it can run on 2 cylinders when/if needed, and will also coast or free wheel down hill while most of the fuel delivery is turned off, so while coasting, the engine is just using enough fuel to keep it alive so to speak.
When the driver re applies the throttle everything comes back to life, the gear is re engaged and drive continues.

With 4 ECU’s working twice as quick, automatic shifting through the 12 speed DSG box is F1 quick, but it also learns, I’ve never driven any truck that shifts to the right gear, so quickly, at exactly the right time.

If you select the “I see” option, then it also has eyes, and can in fact see the road ahead based on telemetry from other Volvo’s that have driven that road or hilly terrain previously.
So it will know if a hill is coming up, and pre select the right gear for that hill, or topography while knowing the external temp, to adjust air & fuel mixture and how much payload it is carrying.
Quite amazing really.

So the Boral demo we have, is currently pulling up hills fully loaded (to the same weight as the other trucks in the fleet) 10kph faster, while using less fuel based on its physical capacity, all because it has so much information at hand, and it can work the smaller engine a bit harder for a small amount of time, then after this, it goes about its business of fuel saving, of which it’s factory default setting is for economy, combined with its small size.
It produces power & torque only when needed.

Older trucks produce Hp & torque based only on the drivers foot, so even unloaded, the older trucks will be at full noise if that’s what the driver wants to do. The new ones won’t deliver 100% if the payload isn’t there to haul, so driving back to reload, the truck is only using a fraction of the fuel it used going out loaded, no matter what the drivers foot is doing.

And if the driver drives it like he has stolen it, well the truck sends a txt message to his boss and dobs him in

 

[Michel]

Lol
Don’t know about an “amazing offer” Michel. I’ll just bore more people to death lol

But in short, we now have a full powertrain engine to final drive all designed to talk to each other via Volvo’s latest TEA 2 electrical architecture.
Each item has its own ECU, and now operates at 512kbps instead of 256kbps on a CAN (Closed Area Network) system.
So instead of one ECU making decisions at half the speed, for all systems, we now have 4 (engine, transmission, cabin & chassis) making decisions for just their components they look after but now at twice the speed.
The truck is grade sensing and load sensing, so the truck can decide exactly how much boost it will need based on grade & payload.
It even knows when it’s going down hill with the engine brake on, not to up shift.
It will also manage its autonomous braking & its following distance based on the payload and grade.

This 7.7L engine probably wouldn’t survive any great deal of time with boost running up to 110%, but it easily does it if the need arises for a short period of time.

This power train can even disconnect its water pump (allows faster warm ups, but also saves on parasitic loss of Hp) it’s alternator and it’s air compressor, and air conditioning if needed.

We now produce 1428Nm from this 7.7L engine when needed, where previously it would have taken a 10L engine to do this, but that 10L engine would be producing this torque all the time the driver puts his foot down.
We now only produce maximum torque (more important in trucks than cars) when it needs it.

The rest of the time it is focused on fuel saving, it can run on 2 cylinders when/if needed, and will also coast or free wheel down hill while most of the fuel delivery is turned off, so while coasting, the engine is just using enough fuel to keep it alive so to speak.
When the driver re applies the throttle everything comes back to life, the gear is re engaged and drive continues.

With 4 ECU’s working twice as quick, automatic shifting through the 12 speed DSG box is F1 quick, but it also learns, I’ve never driven any truck that shifts to the right gear, so quickly, at exactly the right time.

If you select the “I see” option, then it also has eyes, and can in fact see the road ahead based on telemetry from other Volvo’s that have driven that road or hilly terrain previously.
So it will know if a hill is coming up, and pre select the right gear for that hill, or topography while knowing the external temp, to adjust air & fuel mixture and how much payload it is carrying.
Quite amazing really.

So the Boral demo we have, is currently pulling up hills fully loaded (to the same weight as the other trucks in the fleet) 10kph faster, while using less fuel based on its physical capacity, all because it has so much information at hand, and it can work the smaller engine a bit harder for a small amount of time, then after this, it goes about its business of fuel saving, of which it’s factory default setting is for economy, combined with its small size.
It produces power & torque only when needed.

Older trucks produce Hp & torque based only on the drivers foot, so even unloaded, the older trucks will be at full noise if that’s what the driver wants to do. The new ones won’t deliver 100% if the payload isn’t there to haul, so driving back to reload, the truck is only using a fraction of the fuel it used going out loaded, no matter what the drivers foot is doing.

And if the driver drives it like he has stolen it, well the truck sends a txt message to his boss and dobs him in

Fascinating... simply fascinating...
What's the chance of going on a test-drive?
(I do have an HR license)

 

[Patrick_R]

Let me see what I can arrange mate.

Yes
It’s pretty full on huh.

 

[Michel]

Let me see what I can arrange mate.

Yes
It’s pretty full on huh.

Don't stress about it....
Only if it's not a hassle.

 

[Patrick_R]

If I can mate, it will be out of the dealership at Preston’s, so not much of a drive for you

I’m currently at Tamworth having dinner alone lol.
Dealer staff dinner tomorrow night.
Then Lismore training on just this type of truck for the rest of the week

 

[Michel]

If I can mate, it will be out of the dealership at Preston’s, so not much of a drive for you

I can handle that

 

[sean sherry]

Hi Sean,
I don't think it has been this way for many years.

it still is in the United States for pickup trucks though.

I think not... no Van sold in Australia has a 5 Star Rating
Not even Mercedes Vito ???
Mitsubishi and Renault have 0 Rating if I am reading it right.
I would not travel in any of them, sitting exposed up against the Windscreen !!!! Way to flimsy for me or my Family

 

[Patrick_R]

Mercedes Benz Vito is a commercial vehicle.
A Kia Carnival is not a Van.
You need to identify between commercial or passenger vehicle.
I don’t know what you are reading Sean, but here you go.

Kia Carnival achieves 5 stars after another round of updates

The leading independent vehicle safety advocate, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), has released a 5 star safety rating for the updated Kia Carnival following several safety-related improvements to the popular people mover.

www.ancap.com.au

 

[Patrick_R]

Sean,
What would you rather travel in if these 2 were offered to you?
A1956 Chevrolet Impala. A yank tank made in the USA
Or
A Chevrolet Malibu (similar to a Holden cruise) built in Korea?