Isuzu Australia has said it is hoping to do its part to combat the nationwide driver shortage with its new range of trucks, set for release next year.
Addressing members of the media at a briefing in Melbourne yesterday, Isuzu Australia’s chief of Product Matt Sakhaie acknowledged that there are a complex range of factors affecting driver attraction and retention.
However, he said one “critical aspect” that Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Isuzu can influence is “the continued development of safe, comfortable and professional workspaces for drivers to ply their trade”.
With a raft of improvements to in-cab driver comfort as well as new active and passive safety features, Isuzu’s MY25 range seeks to deal directly with this issue.
Starting with a reimagined cabin structure, Isuzu’s design team have sought to dramatically improve overall safety, dimensions, visibility and storage.
Central to the design is driver wellbeing, with a larger interior space and driver seating “closely considered” to reduce fatigue.
New ergonomic suspension seating has been added to a wide selection of the range as standard, and seat positioning has been optimised, accommodating greater visibility, easier access to driver controls, stalks and other dash functions.
An extension of this is a revised driving position with a wider STRG tilt and telescopic steering shaft range, a wider seat slide and a more accommodating pedal layout.
Drivers will benefit from a smaller diameter, more user-friendly steering wheel too, assisting in safer overall operator handling and vehicle maneuverability, especially in busy urban applications.
The wheel has been enhanced using electric actuators for advanced driver support functions and ease of use. Image: Isuzu AustraliaIsuzu’s new wheel has been further enhanced using electric actuators for advanced driver support functions and ease of use. Offering total driver control, it’s also been optimised to work seamlessly alongside on-board safety technology such as Isuzu’s Advanced Driver Safety System (ADAS), audio prompts and handsfree functions via the in-dash multimedia unit.
Further safety functionality is available via a new seven-inch, easy to see, meter cluster display screen. Directly in the line of sight of the driver, the display screen is positioned in between the two traditional speedometer needles and oversees a range of ADAS-attuned safety control as well as vital trip, range and economy intelligence.
A swag of other driver-aid information can be accessed via the display unit including vehicle and exterior temperatures, fuel, charge, tyre pressure and AdBlue levels, as well practical shift mode indicators.
Rounding out the in-cabin changes is an updated glass specification, with the new range featuring IR/UV cut glass.
Simon Humphries, chief engineer at Isuzu Australia. Image: Isuzu AustraliaSimon Humphries, Isuzu Australia’s Chief Engineer, explained: “All of the new model trucks for Isuzu will have much improved windscreen glass and side glass.
“They go from having about a 90 cent level of UV protection to 99 per cent UV protection.
“That’s good for driver comfort and safety, if you consider skin cancer risk.”
Humphries added that the new glass also offers improved infrared protection, which reduces the temperature in the cab on hot days.
“You then have an air conditioning system which feels more efficient, because there’s less heat injury in the cab.
“These ergonomic and comfort features are going to help the driver. A new truck could attract a driver and stop them going elsewhere.”
Meanwhile Sakhaie said that while in-cabin comfort and control features might be seen as periphery compared to other headline features, “the little things matter”.
He continued: “Unpacking some of the thought and consideration that has been channelled into these new cabins really drives home just how central driver wellbeing has been to their design and development.
“Put together, the overall benefit to the driver is as compelling as it is reassuring.
“It’s this granular attention to detail, however small it may appear, that goes a long way to getting more people into the truck driving profession and hopefully keeping those already there behind the wheel of an Isuzu truck for many years to come.”
Isuzu’s three-piece bumper bar. Image: Isuzu AustraliaAt yesterday’s launch, Isuzu also drilled down into the safety features that will be employed in their new range.
N Series Safety
All models within the MY25 N Series range will include seven all-new active safety features alongside the eight systems already available in the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) found in current model 4×2 N Series variants.
Key additions at the lighter end of the spectrum include Full Speed Adaptive Cruise Control
(F-ACC) on all two-pedal models, Miss Acceleration Mitigation (MAM) on selected models and Bi-LED headlamps with integrated Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
The new N Series also receives Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) using stereo camera technology and combines this with an Intelligent Speed Limiter (ISL) function to assist the driver to stay within posted limits.
F Series safety
For medium-duty applications, the MY25 F Series is perhaps the bigger winner when it comes to a safety boost.
In a substantial upgrade from previous systems, every model across the F Series range, including Isuzu’s famed 4×4 models, benefits from a comprehensive baseline suite containing 12 active and passive systems, including the Auto Lighting System (ALS).
Depending on the application, some models come equipped with more, such as a typical FV variant, which receives a total of 17 active and passive safety features – as an example.
Full Speed Adaptive Cruise Control (F-ACC) also finds its way into nearly every model in the F Series range except 4×4 and manual transmission FRR and FSR models.
FX-FY Series safety
At the heavier end of Isuzu’s new line-up, the FX-FY Series also comes up trumps with an all-encompassing safety arrangement that matches its lighter cousins in medium-duty.
As per ADR regulations, all models now come fitted with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and the addition of F-ACC in this weight range, across all models, offers a host of safety actions for highway driving in and around major cities.
Of note is the addition of the Lane Keep Assist (LKA) to this market segment, a boon for fleet customers mindful not only of driver and road user safety but of compliance obligations too.
Launch schedule
The MY25 is Isuzu’s first new range since 2008, and last year we reported that some of the models would be coming into the Australian market from 2024.
However, the original launch timeline has been delayed due to the breadth of model variants, along with product and supply timelines out of Japan.
Andrew Harbison, director and chief operating officer at Isuzu Australia, told Big Rigs: “Isuzu Australia Limited are continuing to work closely with parent company, Isuzu Motors Limited, to expediate launch timelines for the Australian market.”
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