Freightliner recently unveiled its fifth-generation Cascadia truck.
The newest addition to the Freightliner family, scheduled to begin production in mid-2025, builds on the brand’s legacy as a “preferred” on-highway truck with advanced safety features, increased aerodynamic efficiency, and the addition of new business intelligence tools that benefit profitability, the manufacturer reported.
“Since its original introduction in 2007, our customers have purchased more than 1 million Freightliner Cascadias, making it the most driven Class 8 truck on North American roads,” David Carson, Daimler Truck North America senior vice president of sales and marketing, said in a news release. “When we set out to develop this newest version and build on its legacy of excellence, we listened closely to our customers and what they, their drivers, and their fleets needed. More safety features, greater efficiency, and increased profitability is what we heard, and it’s what we’re proud to deliver.”
Read more: Freightliner produces one millionth Cascadia
The fifth-gen Cascadia debuts all-new, expanded capabilities for the Detroit Assurance Suite of Safety Systems. Notable system updates include enhanced computing power and an upgraded camera, as well as four new short-range radar sensors and an improved long-range radar sensor, all of which provide for new and updated safety offerings, including:
- Active Brake Assist 6 (ABA6) is now capable of adding automatic braking when detecting vehicles stopped at odd angles, vehicles in curves, stopped vehicles across multiple lanes, and recognizing both moving, and now stationary, pedestrians.
- Active Lane Assist 2 (ALA2), in addition to previous capabilities, now features Lane Change Assist, which can help mitigate out-of-lane accidents by providing counter steering in case a truck attempts to enter an already occupied lane.
- Attentive Driver Protection—when Lane Keep Assist, a feature of ALA2, is on and active—monitors driver attention through steering wheel input and can initiate a sequence that keeps the Cascadia centered in its lane, slows the vehicle to a stop, and turns on the hazard lights if the driver is not responsive.
- Side Guard Assist 2 (SGA2) is now able to detect and warn drivers about objects on the driver side, as well as the passenger side of the vehicle, from the cab to the end of the trailer.
An all-new Intelligent Braking Control System (IBCS) for the Cascadia introduces brake-by-wire technology combined with backup pneumatics and employs wheel-speed sensors and a chassis-mounted electronic control unit to help provide advanced deceleration control. IBCS allows for the introduction of Comfort Braking, which provides brake force distribution, lining wear control, and performance monitoring. These features ensure smoother, more confident braking, especially in sudden stops, and help elongate brake pad life through even wear.
IBCS also includes Endurance Braking, a feature that seamlessly blends the engine retarder and service brakes when the foot pedal is applied, helping to further extend brake life. An all-new electronic park brake enables Rollaway Mitigation, which is designed to automatically apply the parking brake when a driver leaves the seat or opens the door without setting the brake to help prevent costly rollaways and improve safety.
Also new are the Dual Stage Intelligent LED Headlights, which offer increased durability and impact resistance. They are also engineered to melt away ice and eliminate condensation in minutes. With an increased beam pattern, auto high beam feature and easier beam adjustment capabilities, they enhance visibility, safety and driver comfort.
The new Cascadia offers the factory-installed MirrorCam System—a state-of-the-art camera system that enhances driver visibility. Cameras mounted high above the doors provide a wide field of view and are equipped with infrared technology and hydrophobic coatings to repel water and other contaminants. MirrorCam helps to improve visibility, especially at night and during inclement weather, and improve driver comfort by minimizing head and neck movement.
“The fifth-generation Freightliner Cascadia is more than just a truck, it’s a complete freight transportation solution designed for those ready for what's next,” Carson concluded. “It combines purposeful technologies for exceptional safety, efficiency, and profitability, and it’s ready to meet the needs of each of our customers’ unique businesses.”