Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025

German truck giant Mercedes-Benz is shining a light on the future of trucking at the IAA commercial vehicles expo in Hannover, Germany, with its autonomous 'Future Truck 2025'.

The concept truck was first unveiled before a variety of media outlets, industry experts and government agencies on July 3, but the high-tech machine enjoyed its official world premiere on the eve of the IAA, which opened its doors to the press on September 23.

The truck on display at the IAA sports futuristic and aerodynamic bodywork, innovative LED lighting and striking interior styling, but it's the technology at the heart of the vehicle that sets it apart from anything that's gone before.

In fact, Mercedes-Benz goes so far as to say the truck "marks a revolution for road traffic and its infrastructure, the truck driving profession and the haulage industry as a whole", with its cutting-edge technology reducing the strain on the driver, enhancing road safety, minimising fuel consumption and increasing the level of networking in modern road transport.

The 'future' envisioned by the truck isn't too far away, either. Mercedes-Benz says many of the truck's technical elements are already operational and that it could be a road-going reality in as little as 10 years – hence the '2025' in the concept vehicle's moniker.

At the heart of the truck is its 'Highway Pilot' – essentially a truck version of an aircraft's autopilot system. As demonstrated at 80km/h along a section of German motorway in early July, the system uses a variety of sensors, cameras and radar to safely guide the truck in traffic.

The guidance technology, which is active from a standstill to the truck's legally permitted speed, actively intervenes in the truck's steering to ensure the truck remains in the centre of its lane. The system integrates with Mercedes-Benz's Predictive Powertrain Control to optimise its operation to best suit the prevailing terrain, maximising fuel economy, while the company's recently unveiled Blind Spot Assist monitors the truck's immediate environment and alerts the driver of potential collisions with 'hidden' vehicles, pedestrians and stationary objects.

Blind Spot Assist will join an array of other safety technologies in the truck, including stability control, a roll stability system, anti-lock brakes, emergency brake assist and more.

When driving autonomously the driver's seat retracts and turns 45 degrees at the touch of a button, giving him or her room to relax or attend to other duties. In this mode the driver can also access a wide range of information via a networked tablet which serves as the vehicle's main control and communications interface.

Speaking at the premiere, Dr Wolfgang Bernhard, Daimler Board Member for Trucks and Buses, said the Future Truck 2025 adds another dimension to Daimler AG's product portfolio.

"Our Future Truck 2025 provides compelling answers to the challenges that our customers will be facing in the future," he said.

"Our aim therefore is to press forward with readying this technology for the market and to bring it to series-production standard. I am convinced that this will open up a whole new business perspective for Daimler Trucks.

"What we are showing here today is how the transport of goods on our roads will be running more efficiently, safely and more connected in 10 years' time."

Dr Bernhard said it was crucial that a legislative framework now be determined to unlock the benefits of autonomous transport.

"The challenge now is to leverage this momentum and to continue our open dialogue with all parties involved, so that in 10 years' time the autonomously driving truck will indeed have become an accepted feature on our roads," he said.