Automechanika Frankfurt will be opening its doors for the 25th time
from 11 to 15 September 2018, and never before has the world’s
biggest aftermarket fair had so much to offer for trucks, vans,
buses and trailers. This year also features the first Truck
Competence Symposium with a high-quality panel and a training
workshop for commercial vehicle professionals.
Approx. 1,000 companies will be showcasing their products and
solutions for commercial vehicles at the 25th Automechanika Frankfurt,
and the familiar ‘Truck Competence’ pictogram will once again identify
the stands offering items of interest for commercial vehicle professionals.
But that is not all: Automechanika Frankfurt has responded to the
growing importance of commercial vehicles for workshops and spare
parts dealers by expanding its supporting programme. Visitors can look
forward to a new Truck Competence Symposium on the latest trends in
the commercial vehicle market, as well as a training workshop for radarand
camera-based driver assistance systems in workshop practice. Olaf
Mußhoff, Director of Automechanika Frankfurt: “Retrofit solutions for
commercial vehicles are becoming ever more important, and we have
been investing in our portfolio to strengthen the professional commercial
vehicle market.”
Symposium: Trends in commercial vehicle service
On 13 September from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and in collaboration with
the ETM-Verlag publishing house, the ‘Trends in commercial vehicle
service’ symposium will be looking into the ways in which electrification
and digitisation will change the workshop business. The symposium will
be delving into such topics as digital applications for vehicle acceptance,
digital vehicle files and predictive maintenance. Furthermore, the
symposium will be addressing the use of augmented reality for training
workshop personnel, as well as professional claims management and
intelligent tachographs. The roster of speakers at the symposium
includes industry experts such as Bernhard Wasner (Paul
Nutzfahrzeuge), Benjamin Hellbusch (Schmitz Cargobull), Jürgen
Lumera (Bosch), Nadine Wulf (Mercedes-Benz’s Hannover-
Langenhagen location), Rolf Hildebrand (ZF), Reinhard Dittmers
(Continental) and Christian Heid (Kanzlei Voigt Rechtsanwalts GmbH).
The effects of digital technologies on everyday practice in workshops, as
well as their benefits for service operations, are among the themes that
will be in focus. Thomas Rosenberger, Editor-in-Chief of ‘WERKSTATT
aktuell’ and ‘lastauto omnibus’, will be guiding participants through the
programme of this four-hour event taking place in Hall 8.1 in the
‘Symmetrie 2’ room. Trade fair visitors can participate free of charge.
Automechanika: Spotlight on the latest trends for commercial
vehicles
More and more digital technologies and intelligent and networked
systems are being used in commercial vehicles, as well as in servicing
these vehicles. It is a trend that is also reflected in the products and
innovations on display from ‘Truck Competence’ exhibitors at this year’s
Automechanika, including smartphone and tablet apps for training and
instruction in service and repair, as well as in online spare parts ordering.
Apps will be replacing vehicle keys in the near future, and will serve as
universal remote controls for a wide range of trailer functions and vehicle
superstructures, including loading cranes and roll-off tippers. Visitors to
Automechanika 2018 can already see some of these solutions from
exhibitors such as Bosch, BPW, Knorr-Bremse and ZF.
First mirror replacement system approved for trucks
Intelligent assistance systems for drivers, including emergency braking
assistants, autonomous cruise control (ACC) and lane assistants are
already in use in trucks, buses and vans, yet there has still been no
avoiding the conventional act of looking into the mirror – until now. Vision
solution specialists MEKRA Lang is presenting the first mirror
replacement system approved for use in trucks at this year’s
Automechanika. The camera system, which boasts large displays on the
A-pillars inside the driver’s cab, renders large exterior mirrors
superfluous. This does more than simply lower the aerodynamic drag of
the vehicle – coloured overlays allow the system to display distances to
other vehicles or dynamically adapt the angle of view when
manoeuvring.
The fact that automated driving is not some dream of the future, but is
actually reality today, is confirmed by the latest developments on display
from multiple exhibitors. Not only ZF and Bosch, but also Knorr-Bremse
has developed control systems that have not only mastered the task of
environment recognition, but whose automated decision-making
processes and actuation make it possible to realise entirely automated
driving for commercial vehicles. With the next step – networking and
digital communication between vehicles, traffic lights, road signs and
other road users, a field in which Bosch is one of the drivers – the vision
of accident-free road traffic is fast approaching reality.
Retrofitting electric drive systems
A new megatrend – and not only for cars, but increasingly for vans,
trucks and buses as well – is electric drive systems. For commercial
vehicles, electrification is particularly appealing for city use, as electric
vehicles do more than simply enable emission-free local transport. By
reducing driving noise, they also relieve the burden on residents,
something that is especially important in the night-time hours. With the
conversion of vans and light trucks from conventional diesel propulsion
to electric drive systems, workshops with the right tools and know-how
will be able to enter into lucrative new business fields in future. Axlemanufacturer
BPW is helping lay the foundation with its new electric
drive axle. BPW developed its new axle especially for retrofitting existing
distribution vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 7.5
tonnes. According to BPW, the drive system, which comprises a motorgearbox
unit and a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 40-80 kWh,
makes possible ranges of up to 100 kilometres.
Truck Competence training workshops
One of the daily highlights in Automechanika’s wide-ranging trade fair
programme is the Truck Competence training workshop ‘Radar- and
camera-based driver assistance systems in workshop practice’, which
will be taking place every day from 10:00 a.m. until noon (12:00 p.m.) in
a special workshop tent in the F11 outdoor exhibition area. The trade
journal KrafthandTRUCK is serving as a partner to the event, which has
also secured the services of Master Automotive Technician Hendrik
Harenbrock, an experienced commercial vehicle specialist and trainer for
the Vehicular Department of the Chamber of Trades Training Centre in
Münster (HBZ), for the workshop.
According to Harenbrock: “From November 2018, emergency braking
assistants and lane assistants will be legally required in all trucks. This
means that even after simple repairs, it will be necessary to reset, adjust
and calibrate vehicles – and every manufacturer has their own special
procedure for this. In our workshop, we help commercial vehicle
professionals to prepare for these challenges.” The theory is combined
with an extensive hands-on component in which participants can learn
how to calibrate and adjust the sensors and cameras on a vehicle. The
workshop is aimed at commercial vehicle mechanics, electricians and
mechatronics specialists, as well as service consultants, automotive
experts and vocational school teachers.
