Daimler Truck, which put its trucks on the roads at the end of last year as part of the project of localizing the Mercedes-Benz Actros in China, has been unloading its mass production vehicles from the bands for more than 6 months. Mercedes-Benz Türk Aksaray R&D Center, which is the only road test approval authority in the world for trucks bearing the Mercedes-Benz star, also assumed important responsibilities in the China-specific Actros project.
Supporting the commissioning process of the project, Mercedes-Benz Türk Trucks R&D Team supported the team in China as well as taking responsibilities during the development, testing and approval of parts used in China. Mercedes-Benz Türk Trucks R&D Director Melikşah Yüksel said, “We are adding new responsibilities on a global scale day by day with our R&D Center, where we carry out studies that shape the sector.”
In September last year, Daimler Truck AG and China-based Beiqi Foton Motor Co. Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive (BFDA), founded in partnership with Daimler Automotive (BFDA), has announced that the first Mercedes-Benz trucks made locally for China are ready to hit the road. These vehicles, which are versions of the Mercedes-Benz Actros tow trucks produced in China with some changes and localized parts, have three different options: 6×4, 6×2 and 4×2.
Daimler Truck, which started mass production in line with its plans, aims to open a new page with its expanding commercial footprint and growth potential in China, the world's largest truck market.
Teams in Turkey took charge
Mercedes-Benz Türk Trucks R&D Center, which is the only road test approval authority in the world for trucks bearing the Mercedes-Benz star, and which has carried out many important studies on a global scale, took an active role in the realization of the China-specific Actros project together with the Job Preparation Team. Working together within the scope of the project, both teams supported the development, testing and production processes of the parts used in China.
Melikşah Yüksel, Mercedes-Benz Türk Trucks R&D Director, stated that they are proud to be involved in the project that aims to produce and deliver Mercedes-Benz star-bearing trucks to a large market such as China, and said, “Our Truck R&D Center, which started its operations in Aksaray in 2018. We continue to add new responsibilities to our responsibilities on a global scale every day, while undersigning the works that shape the sector with our company. Finally, we have successfully completed the tasks we have undertaken in the China-specific Actros project. We took on important responsibilities from the development, testing and approval of parts used in China to the production and sales permit processes of Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive Factory. I believe that the project, in which our Job Preparation Team and Truck R&D Team work together from the initial stage to the production stage, is an important milestone for Daimler Truck in China. I congratulate all my colleagues for their contributions to such an important project.”
Prototypes built, experts sent to China
Working together with the Mercedes-Benz Türk Truck R&D Team within the scope of the China-specific Actros project, the Job Preparation Team determined the location of the brake, air, electricity, fuel and AdBlue systems, called 'technical systems', in the vehicle, the passage routes and lengths of the lines. . Sharing the study results reports with the teams in Germany and China to be used in the production of prototype vehicles, the team also used this information in the prototype test vehicles they produced. Using its knowledge of the product in the serial production phase, the team supported the production of pre-series vehicles, training of production employees, transfer of knowledge to the engineer staff and improvement of processes with 9 experts it sent to China. Mercedes-Benz Turkish Business Preparation Team also played an important role in obtaining the production and sales permits of Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive Factory.
Supporting the commissioning process of the project, Mercedes-Benz Türk Truck R&D Team, on the other hand, supported the team in China as well as undertaking responsibilities during the development, testing and approval of parts used in China.
Within the scopes carried out in Istanbul by the Mechatronics R&D Team for the project; safety and comfort systems such as wiring harnesses, battery and energy distribution systems, electrical/electronic components, driving assistance systems, instrument panels and radio systems.
Mercedes-Benz Türk Truck R&D Center, which created the wiring harnesses, which act as a nervous system in vehicles, in line with the information received from Daimler Truck's work teams in different countries, also coordinated the project-wide special change requests. Developing the radio and tachograph parts in accordance with Chinese regulations, the team also ensured that the visual warning, symbols and warning sounds on the instrument panel were developed in accordance with the said regulations and made ready for mass production.
Developing adaptive cruise control, active driving assistant, lane tracking systems within the scope of driving support systems and making them ready for mass production, Mercedes-Benz Turk continues to play a role in projects on a global scale.