Getting More with Less: 2027 Cummins Connected Solutions

There comes a point when technology can prove less than convenient.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that drivers of passenger cars have grown weary of a growing number of buttons and on-screen options. They want less, not more to deal with when driving down the road.

Driver retention survey experts at WorkHound have reported the same for tractor-trailer drivers. They report some in-cab technologies are considered too demanding and chip away at a driver’s time and satisfaction.

Cummins has taken the concerns of both drivers and fleet managers to heart with its Connected Solutions package for its 2027 Cummins HELM™ lineup which includes advanced diesel, natural gas and ultimately hydrogen engines.

Optimizing truck performance from engine to wheels gets more efficient and more automated with Cummins’ automatic software update. This industry-first capability will be available on 2027 Cummins engines with select OEMs. Fleets and owner-operators can determine when and where their engine’s electronic computer module (ECM) will perform automatic software updates. That not only makes for a safer update but it also relieves drivers from having to perform the task while on the road.

Cummins Director of Digital Market Strategy and Management, Kerry-Leigh Goodier, further explained the benefits of the company’s latest Connected Solutions technology.

“In a traditional over-the-air calibration process, a fleet manager will approve the calibration in a portal and there will be some interaction with the driver,” Goodier said. “The driver has to approve of a good time for the calibration to happen, or there might be a series of steps that they need to take to actually get that successful port over.”

Automating the process takes the pressure off drivers who would rather be driving than providing tech support.

“No interaction from the driver is required. The software will go to the ECM, it will buffer to the ECM and when it meets certain conditions, it will automatically update,” Goodier continued. “That eliminates a service event to have a calibration update done through a service tool. Even a step further, so long as they have set up their account, there will be no approval required from the fleet manager or driver. It is seamless with no interaction. They will always have the latest and greatest calibrations on their assets.”

Cummins is working with OEM partners to inform fleet managers that while setting up their user profiles on 2027 HELM engines they can select auto approval for any available calibrations.

“That way they don’t need to interact with the portal every time something new is available,” Goodier said.

Taming data wolves to improve performance

Fleet managers can attest to addressing multiple packs of performance metrics coming at them from assets around the country. While challenging and time-consuming, making sense of it all is critical to optimizing uptime along with capabilities like fuel economy and oil change intervals.

That is where Cummins Connected Solutions and partner OEMs can help. Getting to know how and where a truck is used leads to optimal performance. Cummins can guide customers to pay closer attention to the numbers that matter most.
Trucks experiencing more grades with heavy loads at higher altitudes will require different specs and settings than trucks traveling at lower altitudes on relatively flat surfaces with lighter loads. Whatever the case, knowing a truck’s duty cycle and responding accordingly with an optimized powertrain and proper maintenance intervals are critical to success.

“At a high level, we use the duty cycle and trip information to analyze how they use the equipment and then look at the feature settings to see how trucks in service can be optimized,” said Kristopher Ptasznik, Cummins Powertrain TCO and Consultancy Leader.

“The same data is used to make recommendations for future trucks, looking at recommendation for different powertrain components like transmission and axle ratio, engine rating for horsepower and torque, even up to recommending a different engine displacement or fuel type,” Ptasznik continued. “All of this is a balance between fuel economy, trip time, and driver sensitivity to recommend a spec that will work for the business.”

Making hard work easier and more profitable

Cummins covers more than one million engines globally with its digital products. That number will climb even higher as Cummins 2027 HELM engines enter the market.

Fleet managers and drivers can rest easy as Cummins Connected Solutions quietly works behind the scenes monitoring more than 400 parameters on the engine.

In the case of the 2027 X15 diesel, maximizing emissions reduction and fuel economy comes courtesy of the full suite of Cummins digital features and capabilities available through Cummins Acumen or an OEM device.

Each of the four categories of Connected Solutions works to deliver greater uptime and efficiency:

Remote Diagnostics provide early detection and visibility to fault alerts based on severity and priority, including service recommendations, speeding up the resolution of issues.

Over-the-Air Technology allows remote software and parameter updates for a single vehicle or an entire fleet. Vehicles can be updated at the most convenient time and place, minimizing disruptions and limiting driver involvement.

Predictive Insights and Maintenance use real-time monitoring and advanced data analytics to improve efficiency, reliability and engine lifespan. By detecting potential issues earlier, this technology enables proactive maintenance.

Optimized Service Events help reduce unplanned downtime and operational interruptions. The approach also lowers the costs associated with emergency repairs and unscheduled maintenance.

Expanding software parameters can allow customers to program select engine functions remotely including Cruise Control; Gear Down Protection; Cruise Control & Engine Brake Interaction; Road Speed Governor; Idle Shutdown; and Speed Control.

Cummins’ strength in prognostics is a unique capability that continues to win over fleets and owner-operators.

“We've got the secret sauce,” Goodier said. “We can predict at an asset level which vehicles are likely to experience issues. While others might say, ‘You're going to have 10 NOx failures,’ without specifying which vehicles, we can identify the specific vehicles that will have these failures. This capability is available today on current products and will also be available on the new product.”

Such an offering comes not just from Cummins’ vast pool of performance data but from how effectively that data is used to give customers a competitive edge.