Volvo Trucks Selects Delphi to Centralize Sleeper Cab Controls

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., March 19 -- Delphi Corp. announced today that its Living Environment Control Module (LECM) is one of the many new features available on Volvo Trucks North America, Inc.'s newly redesigned VN Series of Class 8 commercial vehicles.

Introduced to the public by Volvo as a truck designed from the best technology available for 21st century challenges, every component in the VN was scrutinized for its effect on productivity, performance, weight, serviceability and aerodynamics. The result was thousands of parts from the previous VN model were redesigned and extensively tested to handle the most extreme conditions, helping make everyday driving safer, more comfortable and more reliable.

"Our primary objective in redesigning the VN series was to increase its productivity for our customers," said Chuck Pannell, chief project manager for the new Volvo VN. "Approaching the sleeper cab functions as an integrated system optimized the electrical/electronic architecture, reduced components, increased functionality and centralized functions, while reducing weight. Delphi's LECM contributed, in part, to the more than 1,500 pounds that were engineered out of the vehicle to dramatically improve its performance."

Delphi's LECM is an integrated control module for the sleeper area of heavy-duty trucks. It is a mechatronic product, meaning electrical and mechanical components are integrated into a single system. It centralizes most of the sleeper cab's fuses for lights and outlets, and controls all plug- in accessory power feeds. It also houses functions such as the interior light buttons, auxiliary controls for HVAC, and the clock/alarm/park heater timer from a single module.

"One feature of this module is smart load shedding which means that it helps monitor all the module functions and outlets in the sleeper cab and, if the truck system voltage starts to get near a specified minimum level, the module automatically shuts off items (like a coffee maker) that could be draining the vehicle's battery," said Richard Barthel, engineering manager for Delphi Mechatronic Systems.

Volvo Trucks North America is the inaugural customer for the LECM. According to Barthel, the LECM is unique and the first module of its kind on the market that centralizes sleeper area controls. "In the past, sleeper functions and outlets were separate components and were not monitored as a group, so the driver was the only monitor of the amount of power being drained from the truck's battery. Now, the LECM helps by automatically reducing some of the loads when it senses lower system voltages."

"Because the unit integrates so many functions, we were able to reduce the mass of the system by 15 percent, contributing to the truck's increased efficiency," Barthel continued. "The LECM also contributes to the truck's overall reliability improvement by using solid-state power switching, internal splicing, local fusing and a reduced number of interconnects."

Volvo Trucks North America, Inc. manufactures premium commercial Class 8 trucks in North America. It leads the industry in areas of safety research and development, quality manufacturing process and environmental care. Volvo Trucks also markets fuel-efficient Volvo heavy-duty diesel engines. Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., Volvo Trucks North America is a division of Volvo Truck Corporation, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Delphi Mechatronic Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delphi Corp. It is a leading automotive switch, electronics and sensor supplier globally and is a market leader in mechatronic devices. The unit has manufacturing facilities in the United States, Germany, Spain, Poland, Mexico, Brazil, and through a joint venture in Korea. It has engineering facilities in the United States, France and Germany.

Delphi is a world leader in mobile electronics and transportation components and systems technology. Multi-national Delphi conducts its business operations through various subsidiaries and has headquarters in Troy, Mich., USA, Paris, Tokyo and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Delphi has approximately 192,000 employees and operates 176 wholly owned manufacturing sites, 42 joint ventures, 53 customer centers and sales offices and 32 technical centers in 41 countries. For more information about Delphi and its operating subsidiaries, visit Delphi's Virtual Press Room at www.delphi.com/media .

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