Volvo Trucks on Wednesday, Sept. 12, announced delivery of the first trucks equipped with its new Remote Diagnostics aftermarket service, a standard feature on every Volvo-powered VN model highway truck. The seamless, dynamically connected system of vehicle management tools is designed to provide proactive diagnostic and repair planning assistance with detailed analysis of critical diagnostic trouble codes.
Purolator Inc., a Canadian integrated freight and parcel solutions provider, received the first Remote Diagnostics-equipped Volvo trucks as part of its recent order for 80 Volvo VNL 300 daycabs. Each tractor features a Volvo D13 engine and I-Shift automated manual transmission. Over the past two years, Purolator has added 159 Volvo daycabs to its fleet.
“We’re looking forward to utilizing Volvo’s Remote Diagnostics service,” said Serge Viola, Purolator’s general manager, fleet. “The ability to remotely notify dealers and technical staff that the truck is experiencing an issue, while still having that vehicle in service, will greatly assist in reducing our fleet’s downtime.”
Volvo’s Remote Diagnostics facilitates live dealer and customer communication through Volvo Action Service, Volvo’s 24/7 support team. When a fault code appears, Remote Diagnostics alerts VAS, which then works with the customer’s defined decision maker to establish a course of action. VAS then works with the nearest dealer to ensure parts are on hand before a truck arrives at a service location, helping to maximize vehicle uptime, providing the decision maker complete service resolution to contact the driver and provide instructions.
“We’re pleased to provide Purolator and our other customers with one of the most advanced tools available to deliver information about the truck’s performance and proactively address potential service issues,” said David Pardue, Volvo Trucks vice president, aftermarket solutions. “Real people means real service, and that’s what our customers receive from Remote Diagnostics and the Volvo Action Service support team.”
Remote Diagnostics also provides service case communication and documentation among Volvo Action Service, dealers and customers through ASIST, Volvo’s Web-based service management tool that comes free of charge for two years/250,000 miles with the purchase of all new Volvo trucks.
Volvo said that prior to its announcing Remote Diagnostics in May, it field-tested the connected vehicle service with motor carriers in the United States and Canada, drawing on the feedback from 15 unique customers operating more than 1,300 Volvo VNs with the service.
