Who would want to be a truck designer?
Will Shiers
Editor at Commercial Motor and UK jury member for International Truck of the Year
If I were a truck designer, I’d disable all of my social media accounts ahead of a launch. It must be so demoralising to spend years creating what you believe to be the perfect truck, only to have it slated by wannabe designers, who reckon it’s a copy of something else.
The latest new model to receive this abuse is the DAF XG, but it was no different for any other new trucks launched in the last decade. Within minutes of revealing photos of it on Commercial Motor’s Instagram account, its exterior looks had been compared with a Scania, Volvo, Iveco, MAN and even a “Merk”!
Commercial Motor contributor Bob Beech did a fantastic job of simply explaining the design process to some keyboard warriors.
“Aerodynamics, engine cooling, legislation (including crash protection), vision in every direction and finally how it looks. This is the list of [design] priorities, the first four of which are governed by physics. This is why modern trucks all look similar.”
Well said Bob. Personally I think the new DAF not only looks fantastic, but thanks to its new dimensions, is going to prove a winner with drivers too. And with the European driver shortage being so acute, that’s a very important factor.
Transport Training @ lorry-driver.com
3yNo one with any sense listens to Truck drivers though!
Area Sales Manager for TruckEast Ltd.
3yMe!
uninterrupted innovation is key - even if too many hope to ignore innovation - I facilitate hands-on innovativeness with leading-edge champions in Europe as innovation facilitator and curator of (non-)knowledge inflows
3y"Who would want to be a truck designer?" raises several important issues with our generating prosperity and innovation and wealth. unfortunately several cohorts think it is better to work for an NGO or at least not to work for industry. Europe's flagships in car manufacturing, truck manufactering and consumer products will see significant opportunities and progress within the next 10 years. However many smart people would need to disable social media accounts or kind of hide their assignments from their peers. once I attended a guided city tour in St. Gallen Switzerland. there a radical feminist guide shared the story: many think that commerce is bad and Hermes is the god of thieves. We in St. Gallen have always been a town for commercial activity. Men where out in the world and women had full rights. during the dark ages with witch trials all over German speaking Europe women were investigated and most of the time killed. In St. Gallen out of 30 trials (less than 1 per cent of what you would expect in relation to the European average) took place and 18 out of these 30 were found to be innocent at the court. The growing number of people with higher education is a great advantage according to Schumpeter and yet this #antagonism
Head of Operations - Transport | Wincanton for Sainsbury’s | Midlands & South West
3ySpot on Will Shiers, a lot will come down to personal taste and brand preference so many will remain unimpressed no matter. It's a good looking piece of kit.
UK Sales and Commercial Director for the transport and logistics industry. Working with UK and European carriers helping them grow sustainably in the UK. Can I help? please contact me: neil.taylor@capex-uk.com
3yI thinks it’s a beauty in all respects. It should be, they’ve had since 1987 to design it😀. Certainly a match for the Scania, which seems to be the truck of choice for drivers.