An Internet-ready truck? Volvo plans to make the connection

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 31) — Volvo Trucks North America, the first heavy-truck manufacturer to sell trucks on the Internet, displayed a prototype of the first Internet-ready truck at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., last week.

Working with Park ‘N View, which offers in-cab communications services at more than 200 truck stops in the United States, Volvo showed a preliminary design for a direct hookup for in-cab phone, cable TV, and Internet service for the Volvo 770 and 660 models. The connectors are hidden under an outside access panel on the side of the sleeper.

In addition to the hookup on the outside of the trucks — no more running PNV cables through windows — each of the models will include interior wiring for telephone and cable TV connections, the company said.

Under the agreement with Park ‘N View, Volvo also may offer PNV services as a feature in some lease packages and as an option in others, and advertise on PNV’s Driver Entertainment Network channel.

Volvo also displayed a “virtual dealer” kiosk it plans to install at truck stops and dealers as part of its recently announced acquisition of an ownership stake in Petro Stopping Centers, a chain of truck stops. The large, triangular kiosk is flanked by exhaust pipes. A touch computer screen allows you to build your own virtual truck. On a TV screen above it, a diner waitress walks you through the menu.

After you’ve decided on a model, you get to choose options such as engine, fifth wheel, cabinetry and paint job. As you touch the screen for each option, on the TV, an animated robot arm grabs the right component and puts it into a translucent truck body. After you’ve finished, you can view the complete specs. Then if you want, the kiosk will find a dealer that has a truck with the same specs, or print out a “receipt” with the information on “your truck.”

Volvo head Marc Gustafson said the company will be installing 450 of these kiosks — some in truckstops other than Petro, others at 50 Petro locations yet to be built.

He said Volvo and Petro were “strongly considering” constructing new Petro truck stops in Canada.

— Deborah Lockridge