Colin-on-Cars - New I-Link auto shifter for Volvo Trucks

Quicker response with shift speed increased by up to 30% is the basis of the faster I-Shift gearbox Volvo Trucks South Africa will be introducing locally next year.

The significant drivability improvement, which has been added to drivelines at all emission levels, is achieved by the new way in which the I-Shift gearbox interacts with the engine.

The update includes faster clutch activation that results in a shorter torque interruption. It also makes the gear shifting smoother, for a more harmonious driving experience.

Faster gear shifting makes it possible to optimise the gear selection more efficiently.

Improvements

"And the more shifting events that the road and terrain require, the more the improvements will be experienced by the driver. With up to 30% faster gear changing now possible using I-Shift, drivers will certainly experience a very positive difference,” says Eric Parry, senior manager of sustainability at Volvo Trucks South Africa.

The high-speed shifting is achieved based on several key improvements.

Sensors

First, updated sensors now provide data with higher accuracy to the control unit, which features new software and a faster microprocessor, for much quicker calculation times. Second, an added disc in the gearbox brake makes it react faster before a gear shift, so it can be done earlier.

Volvo I-Shift gearbox

Finally, the air volume has also been reduced in different actuation systems, for example, the shift forks, the clutch, and the gearbox brake, to further enable a faster gear shift.

Evidence

These latest advances to gain 30% faster gear changes are further evidence of Volvo Trucks’ continuous improvement actions to provide better all-around driveability.

“With all the improvements and new variants over the years, I-Shift has had an outstanding ability to solve more and more advanced tasks in efficient ways. This means not only delivering high performance and fuel efficiency but also outstanding driveability and comfort for the drivers,” added Parry.

Today, all extra heavy Volvo trucks are built with I-Shift as standard. Since its introduction, more than 1-million trucks have been sold globally with I-Shift technology.

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