With Mercedes-Benz Uptime (MB Uptime) the Swabians want to maximize the availability of trucks. By using their own breakdown service it is currently possible to rectify 85% of technical breakdowns directly at the side of the road. On average the trucks are fully functional within 2.5 hours. The remaining trucks are usually repaired at the shop within a single day. But according to Stefan Buchner, Head of Trucks, Daimler has reached the upper limit of rectifying technical breakdowns with this responsive system.
Mercedes-Benz Uptime, the new service, adopts a proactive rather than a responsive approach. Instead of merely responding to a malfunction, Daimler aims at preventing a technical breakdown in the first place. The new system is based on the telematics module Fleetboard Connectivity Platform. The module gets all relevant sensor data of the truck from the Can bus system. The customer can access the data in detail at any time – even via mobile app. When Uptime detects any malfunction it reports this in three steps. Step 1: The customer is informed about technical breakdowns with little urgency or the need of some maintenance that the customer is able to do himself, e.g. underinflated tires or too little AdBlue in the fuel tank. Thus the truck fleet’s actual “state of health” is constantly communicated. Step 2 refers to repairs that have to be carried out within a week or more.
Uptime informs the repair shops
Technical breakdowns are communicated to the repair shops by the system, so that the workshop employees can order spare parts if necessary, or coordinate repairs with the customer in combination with the regular service appointments. So there will be no need for additional diagnosis time or waiting times for spare parts. When the truck threatens to break down and there is an urgent need for action, Daimler states that Uptime directly informs the Customer Assistance Center (CAC) in Maastricht. Based on a thorough analysis of the defect, the experts specify how long the truck can continue to run. When for example a breakdown is predicted within the next 6 hours, the truck driver could still manage to reach the next recipient some 2 hours away and then consult the repair shop. To minimize the stay in the repair shop, the CAC carries out the coordination. The customer simply has to follow the instructions. According to Michael Schaaf, managing director at Bay Logistik and pilot customer, the instructions of the CAC prevent stress during the entire process.
Daimler will offer Uptime after the IAA in September. The principle requirement is a corresponding hardware including a new electronic structure. Therefore the system as a retrofit is only available for trucks from the manufacturing month January 2017. First of all MB Uptime will be offered as a service contract for the models Actros (as standard), Antos and Arocs (as extra equipment). The customer can choose between a single solution contract or an additional module added to an existing service contract. When the test run in Germany, Poland, Great Britain and Austria, that started in 2013, has been completed, MB Uptime will be available on 12 European markets. Daimler will not talk about prices before the IAA. Until the IAA, Daimler will likely extend its service also on the transporter series. A question pertaining to this matter remained unanswered by the truck manufacturer: “You are welcome to speculate.” More Information will be revealed to the world in September.
