Welcome to the Modern World

There are some things in life we think will never change, and one of them is the speedo on a Kenworth truck, but in this video it’s a case of ‘welcome to the modern world’ and a digital dash in the K220.

We are not phased by all of this electronic interface stuff any more, the European truck manufacturers, starting with Mercedes Benz, have had this kind of dash available for some time and the world has not stopped turning.

The level of data buzzing around the CANbus on a modern truck and the ability to rearrange the display directly in front of the driver, and tailor the layout for the driver’s or the freight task’s individual needs and preferences has made this kind of interface attractive.

The fact that this level of sophistication has now appeared in one of the more conservative truck brands in the Australian truck market, Kenworth, tells us the decision is already made, this is what the future dashboard in a truck will look like.

Although the battle for number one status in the Australian truck market is being fought out between Kenworth and the leading European truck brand, Volvo, it is the Kenworth brand which still sets the agenda for many participants in the trucking game. With the inclusion of a digital dash, with no analog alternative available, this means the digital dash is now the new normal.

Of course, this doesn’t mean we will now get into a truck cab and the layout sitting front of the driver looks like something out of Star Trek. Instead, the designers are going for a comfortable laid back look which actually looks a bit like it might be an analog set-up. Drivers can choose to have dials included which look very analog, just to make them feel a little more comfortable stepping into the modern world of 2020s trucking in Australia.