The Autotech Congress brings together manufacturers, researchers, designers, users, industry groups, and academics to create a forum for the exchange of information and innovation. The papers included here examine the major advances and technological breakthroughs of today, which will become standard practice for tomorrow. A wide range of interests are catered for within the automotive field. These include themes covering: Automotive Manufacturing, Engines and Powertrains, Electronics, Environmental Impact and Safety, Materials Technology, Vehicle Technologies, and Bus and Truck Technology. Bus and Truck Technology looks at some of the most interesting developments in passenger service vehicles and heavy goods transportation. The papers presented in this volume consider aspects such as: Exhaust emissions Diagnostic equipment Solar powered refrigerated trailers Tractor to trailer communications Satellite communications Truck telematics Better wiring systems In giving comprehensive update of automotive industry developments, this volume contains information which is vital to maximize the impact of future transportation systems.

This text is well established as one of the most autoritative textbooks in the truck and bus industry, having been read by many students and adopted by college lecturers at home & overseas.

The 21st Century Truck Program will support the development and implementation of commercially viable technologies that will dramatically cut fuel use and emissions of commercial trucks and buses while enhancing their safety and affordability as well as maintaining or enhancing performance. The innovations resulting from this program will reduce dependence on foreign oil, improve our nation's air quality, provide advanced technology for military vehicles, and enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. truck and bus industry while ensuring safe and affordable freight and bus transportation for the nation's economy. The 21st Century Truck Program was announced on April 21, 2000, in Romulus, Michigan, at a gathering of U.S. truck and supporting industries, concerned environmentalists, and federal agency representatives. The program's goals and research objectives are to: improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, enhance safety, reduce total owning and operating costs, and maintain or enhance performance.

This document will cover the aspects of the design and test of Class 4 through 8 electric and hybrid-electric trucks and buses for electrical safety. The document is intended to address the safety concerns of electrical systems in commercial vehicles that employ voltages greater than 60 VDC or 30 VAC RMS. Hybrid Electric powertrain technology has been newly introduced to the commercial Class 4 through 8 truck and bus market. With this introduction, hybrid trucks and buses now contain components with higher voltages and stored potential energy. The presence of high voltage batteries, motors, and electronics therefore creates new potential electrical hazards that were not before present on non-hybrid trucks and buses.The safer operation of trucks and buses is a shared priority of all truck and bus operators, fleet owners, OEMs, and suppliers and is not a basis for competition. Therefore, the SAE Truck and Bus Council formed the Truck and Bus Hybrid Safety committee. The committee members have volunteered to develop common, consistent design and test practices that can be applied to hybrid technology for Class 4 through 8 vehicles, in order to benefit the drivers, maintainers, and emergency personnel who come in contact with these vehicles.Although specifications for hybrid electric technology have been developed and published for passenger cars, specifications have yet to be adopted for Class 4 through 8 vehicles. This recommended practice is intended to leverage the existing body of SAE hybrid standards, and to also leverage procedures already developed individually by truck and bus industry manufacturers for the safer operation and service of their vehicles. The focus of this document will be the documentation of practices for those aspects of hybrid technology that relate uniquely to Class 4 through 8 trucks and buses.