Mack To Showcase Anthem Trucks With Advanced Technologies At TMC 2023

Mack Trucks has announced two trucks it plans to bring to TMC 2023, the American Trucking Association’s annual Technology & Maintenance Council meeting. One is a Mack Anthem 6x4 day cab powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), and the other is an Anthem 6x4 diesel stand-up sleeper truck. The event will take place next week in Orlando, Florida, from February 27th to March 2nd.

Cleaner-Burning CNG

The Anthem day cab on display at TMC has an aero+ roof fairing and a Cummins ISX12N-G natural gas engine that generates 400 horsepower (298 kilowatts) and 1,450 pounds-foot (1,966 newton-meters) of torque. The transmission in the truck is a 12-speed Eaton Endurant automated manual unit with overdrive. Mack has equipped it with its Road Stability Advantage system and a Bendix Wingman Fusion 2.0 front- and side-collision avoidance system.

The day cab also is outfitted with Mack GuardDog Connect, a telematics system that monitors the truck’s electronic control units and can report any issues to the Mack OneCall service. Mack OneCall’s round-the-clock support staff can diagnose problems, schedule repairs, and confirm parts availability to minimize downtime for the truck while it’s being serviced.

An Aerodynamic Sleeper

The Mack booth’s other Anthem truck has a 70-inch (1,778-millimeter) stand-up sleeper cabin, an MP8HE+ aerodynamics package, and a FlowBelow rear chassis fairing. Its Mack-built MP8-445HE diesel engine supplies up to 445 HP (332 kW) and 1,860 lb-ft (2,522 N-m) of torque. A Mack PowerLeash engine brake harnesses the motor’s inertia for economical stopping power, and a Mack mDrive 12-speed automated manual transmission rounds out the powertrain.

Like its day cab counterpart, the sleeper truck also has a Bendix Wingman Fusion 2.0 system and Mack GuardDog Connect. The latter includes Mack Over The Air (OTA) remote programming solutions to deliver software and other updates to the truck in the field.

For driver comfort, and to reduce the odds of repetitive motion injuries, the truck also comes with Mack Command Steer driver-assistance technology. Mack Command Steer can reduce steering effort by up to 85%—most noticeably during low-speed maneuvers—and cut driver strain by up to 30%, according to the manufacturer. The system also keeps the truck in its lane and automatically returns the steering wheel to zero (the center position) after parking or reversing.