Allison Transmission Inc. - Experts & Thought Leaders

Allison Transmission has strengthened its reputation in the Middle East with a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia. A new partnership with HINO Motors has led to the deployment of over 80 HINO 500 Series trucks, equipped with the Allison 3000 Series™ six-speed fully automatic transmission, to Fire and Hazard Control Co in the Kingdom. Allison’s advanced transmission solutions This achievement marks a substantial growth for Allison from the initial delivery of eight trucks in 2022, highlighting an increased demand for Allison’s advanced transmission solutions in the region. These trucks are primarily utilized for the distribution of utility equipment and the mounting of mobile cranes, showcasing the versatility and reliability of the Allison 3000 Series transmissions. Allison’s Continuous Power Technology™  The HINO 500 Series trucks are designed to handle the rigorous demands of utility operations Equipped with the Allison 3000 Series, the HINO 500 Series trucks are designed to handle the rigorous demands of utility operations. The transmission’s patented torque converter amplifies engine torque up to 1.77 times, providing powerful starting performance essential for heavy-duty tasks. Additionally, Allison’s Continuous Power Technology™ ensures seamless power transfer to the wheels, minimizing torque loss and ensuring efficient and reliable operation. Allison 3000 Series "The positive reception we have seen and growing demand for the Allison 3000 Series in Saudi Arabia brings us excitement over what the future holds for us in the region, as it also serves as a testament to the reliability and performance of our products," said Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Allison Transmission’s Area Manager for Middle East & Pakistan. He adds, "Our partnership with HINO Motors and Fire and Hazard Control Co demonstrates our commitment to providing robust solutions that meet the specific needs of our clients in the Middle East." Suitability of Allison transmissions  The growing fleet of HINO 500 Series trucks in Saudi Arabia demonstrates the suitability of Allison transmissions for the region’s challenging conditions. The transmissions’ durability, power, and reliability are key factors driving their adoption in the Middle East. Allison’s commitment to innovation and quality has resulted in robust transmissions capable of withstanding harsh environments, making them ideal for a wide range of applications. Allison and HINO Motors partnership The successful partnership with HINO Motors in Saudi Arabia underscores Allison’s role as a leader in the global transmission market and highlights its ongoing dedication to supporting the needs of utility and commercial customers in the Middle East.

Madrid Fire Department has selected Allison-equipped Renault Trucks vehicles as part of a fleet renewal process. The order for 13 vehicles includes seven light urban fire trucks, two automatic aerial ladder trucks, and four heavy-duty wildland fire trucks, all equipped with Allison fully automatic transmissions.   seven light urban fire trucks The seven light urban fire trucks, with Iturri bodywork mounted on the D 2.1 240.12 4x2 FPTL chassis, are fitted with Allison 2000TM Series transmissions and feature Renault Trucks double cabs in accordance with the EN 1846 standard. These cabs have a 2-3 seat arrangement with Bostrom co-driver seats and three forward-facing rear seats. The wheelbase of just 3,150 millimeters provides an unrivaled turning radius and unbeatable maneuverability in urban centers. two automatic aerial ladder trucks The wheelbase, special wide wheels, and maximum cab chassis make it the most compact ladder truck The two automatic aerial ladder trucks, with Flomeyca bodywork mounted on the D 2.1 280.16 4x2 chassis, are equipped with Allison 3000 SeriesTM fully automatic transmissions. This model features a 3,500-millimetre wheelbase, special wide wheels on the rear axle, and a maximum cab chassis width of 2,395 millimeters, making it the most compact articulated ladder truck in its class currently. four heavy-duty wildland fire trucks The four heavy-duty wildland fire trucks, with Iturri bodywork mounted on the D 2.1 280.14 4x4 CCR chassis, are equipped with the Allison 3000R transmission with an output retarder for enhanced braking and reduced brake wear.  These trucks feature Renault Trucks EN 1846-compliant double cabs with a 2-3 seat arrangement, Bostrom co-driver seats, and three forward-facing rear seats, in accordance with the NFX61517 standard. robust  Allison-equipped Renault Trucks are the choice of municipalities throughout Spain including the Guipuzcoa Provincial Council, Infoca, Sepei Cáceres, Granada City Council, the Spanish Emergency Military Unit (UME), and Tragsa (Autonomous Community of Madrid tanker trucks). They are selected for their extreme robustness and greater protection to the drivetrain, which reduces the risk of breakdowns. fully automatic transmission The Allison 3000 Series with retarder guarantees the performance for rural firefighting requirements" “The Allison 3000 Series with retarder guarantees the performance needed to satisfy the specific requirements of rural firefighting." "Above all, I would highlight the contribution of the Allison fully automatic transmission when tackling long descents or steep grades,” said Juan Antonio Sánchez, Key Account Sales Manager at Renault Trucks España. maximum vehicle performance “Renault Trucks and Allison have been working together for decades and are leaders in the industry. With so many drivers assigned to the same truck, Allison fully automatic transmissions ensure maximum vehicle performance in terms of safety, speed, and maneuverability,” adds Juan Antonio Sánchez. Greater reliability and vehicle acceleration “It is a pleasure to work with Renault Trucks in fitting out this type of vehicle and bringing automation to the fire department. Obviously, a contract like this with the Madrid City Council reflects the fact that Allison automatic transmissions are highly valued for their great reliability, increased vehicle acceleration capacity of up to 35%, smoothness, uninterrupted power during gear shifts, and total vehicle control, all of which are vital in extreme emergency situations,” said Trond Johansen, Director, European Area Sales at Allison Transmission. Welcome Ceremony  A ceremony to welcome the trucks was recently held at the Caja Mágica complex and attended by José Luis Martínez-Almeida, Mayor of Madrid; Inmaculada Sanz, Delegate for Security and Emergencies and municipal spokesperson Attendees also included Loreto Sordo, Councilor for the Usera District; Javier Hernández, General Coordinator for Security and Emergencies; Enrique López, Director General for Emergencies and Civil Protection; and Rafael Ferrándiz, Chief of the Madrid Fire Department.

L3Harris Technologies battlefield awareness systems will enable faster identification and targeting capabilities, providing increased lethality for American Rheinmetall Vehicles’ Lynx Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV). Using digitally engineered systems provided by L3Harris, the Lynx OMFV can detect and engage battlefield threats faster and at greater distances while reducing crew members needed from three to two. High-Capacity communication systems “L3Harris capabilities on Lynx OMFV provide mission-critical battlefield awareness for U.S. Army soldiers,” said Ed Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris, adding “These systems enable greater lethality by increasing detection and reducing time to engagement.” L3Harris capabilities on Lynx OMFV provide mission-critical battlefield awareness for U.S. Army soldiers" The American Rheinmetall Vehicles (ARV) Lynx OMFV features L3Harris third-generation sights with reduced size, weight, and power requirements, enabling early, enhanced threat identification. Crew members receive information faster as a result of more powerful processors and artificial intelligence capabilities. L3Harris also provides secure, high-capacity communication systems and data links to improve command and control and collaborative targeting. Vehicle lifecycle costs “Lynx OMFV provides warfighters with leading-edge technology to dominate future battlefields,” said Matt Warnick, Managing Director for American Rheinmetall Vehicles, adding “A big part of retaining overmatch is modular open systems approaches and digital engineering, which L3Harris is a partner in providing, a strength of the American Rheinmetall Vehicles team and a benefit to the soldiers.” Digital engineering and modular open systems approach in Lynx OMFV meet U.S. Army Ground Combat Systems Common Infrastructure Architecture requirements – allowing integration of new technologies and subsystems updates faster while lowering vehicle lifecycle costs. The OMFV, the U.S. Army’s first ground combat vehicle designed using modern digital engineering tools and techniques, will replace the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, in service since 1981. L3Harris is an advanced technology partner designing and building Lynx OMFV with ARV, Raytheon Technologies, Textron Systems, Allison Transmissions, and Anduril.

Equipment is an important element in fighting fires, and in keeping firefighters safe. But what new needs are driving the development of equipment? How can equipment expand its role in fighting fires, or in managing building occupancy and traffic flow for that matter? We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the new trends and opportunities in firefighting equipment?

For those responsible for procuring and managing fire vehicle fleets, speed, driveability and reliability are paramount concerns. As well as the ability to accelerate, slow and stop rapidly and safely in city traffic, fire engines need to be highly manoeuvrable in tight spaces or on rough terrain. They are required to access many different types of environment at high speed, and, even more than other types of heavy-duty vehicles driven at slower speeds by professional lorry drivers, they need to be easy to operate. At the same time, vehicles are needed that are large and powerful enough to carry fire crews, heavy specialist equipment and large quantities of water or foam. They must also provide a smooth ride, for when crews are wearing bulky items such as masks and oxygen tanks. And they have to be extremely reliable, as breakdowns can cause loss of life. In recent years, manufacturers have generally preferred to specify fully automatic transmissions For all these reasons, fully automatic transmissions are now specified on most European fire vehicles, particularly in Germany, France, Spain and the UK. Compared to manuals, they can offer up to 35% quicker acceleration, with more torque at launch as well as no power interruption during gear changes upwards or downwards, enabling quick deceleration of the vehicle and bringing appliance to a complete stop when combined with an Allison Transmission retarder. That all adds up to faster response times and better manoeuvrability on crowded city streets. Automatics are also far more reliable and durable than manual or automated manual gear boxes, which are prone to wear and tear, particularly on the clutch. A key benefit that most automatics offer is a torque converter, which eliminates the need for a clutch altogether. automatic transmissions Compared to manuals, they [fully automatic transmissions] can offer up to 35% quicker acceleration This was the rationale for the specification of Allison automatic transmissions on London Fire Brigade’s latest Mercedes-Benz Atego and Scania trucks. “The Allison [automatic] transmission was specified partly because of its responsiveness and controllability, and partly because it has proven itself to be such a reliable solution for LFB’s operations,” Neil Corcoran, engineering and technical manager at Babcock International Group, which manages and maintains the LFB fleet, told us." We have seen for ourselves that the Allison has minimal maintenance requirements. And, of course, the dependability of equipment is essential in emergency services.” Allison has a dominant position in the European fire sector, where it has spent decades designing and building fully automatic transmissions that perform at their best in critical situations and offer vital benefits not provided by manual or automated manual transmissions (AMTs). This is particularly true in airport fleets, where vehicle response times are dictated by legislation. London Fire Brigade has a large number of Mercedes-Benz Atego fire trucks, all equipped with Allison transmissions Cleaner fuels In recent years, manufacturers have generally preferred to specify fully automatic transmissions. This continues to be true now when, in common with other commercial vehicle markets, they are looking at alternatives to diesel fuel, such as compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG), to reduce emissions in the medium to long term, particularly in urban areas. Automatics are far more reliable and durable than manual or automated manual gear boxes, which are prone to wear and tear Automatics tend to be well suited to both compressed and liquefied natural gas engines because the torque interrupts that occur with manual and automated manual transmissions during gear shifts are more volatile and less predictable in the case of spark-ignited CNG and LPG engines. Automatics, by contrast, can provide a smooth transfer of power to the drive wheels and maximum efficiency between engine and transmission, resulting in better performance, manoeuvrability, safety and driver comfort, as well as a significant reduction in noise. In 2019, German fire engine manufacturer Magirus revealed the world's first compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered firefighting vehicle in series production. Part of the company’s 'Innovative Drive Line (iDL)' series, the (H) LF 10 fire engine has an Iveco Eurocargo 4x2 chassis with 420 litres of CNG and a fully automatic Allison transmission. It has a range of up to 300 km or pump operation of up to four hours. Speed and power for forest fire vehicles Automatic gears are also increasingly specified on 4x4 vehicles used to tackle forest fires as they outperform AMTs in extreme conditions. Forest firefighting vehicles need to be able to carry powerful, high-capacity pumps and canons as well as very large quantities of water or other extinguishing media. And they must be able to travel rapidly over large distances and very rough and steep terrain, in extreme heat. AMTs and manual transmissions cannot cope well with these conditions. An example of a newly launched automatic forest firefighting vehicle is the Spanish-made UROVESA K6 IS, which is equipped with the Allison 3000 Series™ transmission. It features a chassis with a maximum gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 16 metric tonnes, excellent traction and extremely robust parts. According to UROVESA's President and CEO Justo Sierra, the automatic transmission, combined with an independent suspension system, affords greater guarantees of safety and efficiency than other vehicles and is in great demand for forest firefighting applications because it can travel at twice the speed of conventional 4x4 trucks. "These transmissions facilitate driving, prevent gear shift errors, enable both hands to be on the wheel at all times and enhance driver ergonomics and safety," explained Sierra. The UROVESA K6 IS forest firefighting vehicle, made in Spain, equipped with a fully automatic transmission. It can travel at twice the speed of conventional 4x4 trucks combating vehicle rollback There are a number of ways in which automatics help reduce accidents and improve driver awareness, comfort and safety, from combating vehicle rollback – a major concern with manual transmissions – to providing superior vehicle control and manoeuvrability at low speeds. Furthermore, because the engine’s responses are so closely related to what the driver asks of it, the vehicle’s start-up progress is more predictable to cyclists and pedestrians who might otherwise misinterpret a slow start as an intention to remain stationary. Electronic features like putting the transmission into neutral when leaving the cab or safety interlocking with body equipment further reduce the risk of accidents. Built to last Fire vehicles tend to be in use for only a few hours each week, with low mileage. Consequently, they can be operational for up to 25 or 30 years. So it's even more important for fleet buyers that they get specifications right, to ensure their vehicles will pass the test of time and provide the performance they need for decades. That's one more reason why so many continue to opt for Allison planetary automatics.