LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Truck transmission supplier Eaton introduced a neutral-gear coasting capability to its Fuller Advantage and UltraShift automated transmissions that can automatically disengage a truck’s driveline so that it can coast on slight downhill grades.
The neutral-coasting feature saves fuel by allowing engine speeds to drop to idle.
“This new option promises to bring fuel-efficiency improvements to linehaul fleets typically traveling on roads where hills and grades are present,” said Ryan Trzybinski, Eaton product planning manager. “The gains will vary depending on the amount and severity of grades encountered.”
Eaton said the neutral coasting mode improves fuel consumption by up to 1%, while ensuring safe operation.
Eaton said the coasting feature is available on all vehicles with a 2013 or newer Cummins, Navistar or Paccar engine and will have various names when marketed by the OEMs. It will be called SmartCoast when paired with a Cummins engine, Fuel Efficient Coast when paired with a Navistar engine and Neutral Coast when paired with a Paccar engine.
Eaton said the neutral coasting feature allows the transmission to disengage the driveline by pulling out of gear on downhill grades where little or no engine power is required, when the vehicle is in cruise control and the transmission is in Drive mode. The vehicle’s display will simultaneously flash a gear number that represents the gear that the transmission will select when it is necessary to engage.
The transmission will kick out of coasting mode in several situations, including when brakes are applied, the driver presses the accelerator, cruise control is canceled, or the transmission is shifted out of drive.
The neutral coasting mode “features Eaton proprietary logic that works with the engine ECU or another ECU to determine the appropriate time for the transmission to decide when the driveline should be engaged or disengaged,” Trzybinski said.
