After years of truck drivers complaining about costly issues with diesel exhaust fluid systems, the federal government began to relax some rules. Now, manufacturers are tweaking their trucks to make them more trucker-friendly.
Over the past year, the Environmental Protection Agency has taken aim at vehicle emission rules. Of particular interest to the agency has been DEF.
Among those actions is a proposed rule that would eliminate deratements – which is a reduction in engine power – and relax compliance timelines, but would also scale back current warranties. EPA has also issued guidance that allows more reliable sensors and urges manufacturers to update DEF software to give drivers significantly more time to address an error code.
While the proposed rule is going through the regulatory process and new sensors may take time to develop, manufacturers are already updating DEF software to meet the EPA’s deratement guidance. Rather than a truck being forced to crawl at 5 mph as soon as four hours after an issue is detected, drivers would have up to 8,400 miles or 160 hours before the truck is limited to 25 mph.
Daimler Truck North America was the first to announce a DEF software update. New trucks come equipped with the update, while the software update will reach trucks already on the road throughout the year.
Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks are the latest manufacturers to announce DEF software updates.
Earlier this week, the two truck makers said a software rollout similar to Daimler’s is underway. Both manufacturers began updating DEF software in May.
On Mack Trucks’ end, the update began with new Pioneer and Anthem models. Updates for all 2024 and newer trucks will be completed by the end of the summer. For 2014 and newer trucks, software updates should be done by the second quarter of next year. Older trucks that aren’t capable of remote updates can have them done at a dealership by the end of next year.
Volvo’s rollout is essentially the same. The DEF software updates were first introduced to new VNL and VNR trucks. Like Mack, 2024 and newer updates will be finished by the end of the summer. Post-2014 trucks will be completed by mid-2027, with availability for older trucks at the end of next year.
“These updates are about giving our customers more flexibility and confidence when they are on the road,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “By extending the repair window and increasing the final inducement speed, we are helping drivers keep their trucks on the road and safely reach a service location, reducing the risk of unexpected downtime and supporting the uptime and productivity our customers depend on every day.”
EPA’s DEF inducement guidance has received broad support from the trucking industry.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said the new “common sense” schedules will help drivers maintain safe control of their vehicles as they fix a faulty DEF/SCR, short for selective catalytic reduction, system.
“More flexible inducement, or power reduction, speeds and times will help truckers finish their trips, plan for necessary maintenance and avoid parking their truck for an extended period simply because of a false alarm,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said in a statement. “Nonsensical rules have sidelined small-business truckers for too long, and this accelerated relief shows what can be achieved when regulators hear directly from the people doing the job. We look forward to continued engagement with Administrator Zeldin and his staff to implement additional emission solutions that better reflect the realities of trucking.” LL
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