New Mack Granite vocational truck focuses on driver comfort and durability
Mack Trucks has unveiled the all-new Granite vocational truck, designed from a clean sheet to prioritize driver comfort, durability, and quality.
9 inches
3.5 inches
What Happened
Mack's chief designers had the rare opportunity to start from a clean sheet when creating the new Granite. This 'body in white' approach allowed them to optimize the cab, chassis, and components together without legacy constraints, focusing on driver comfort, durability, and quality.
“We focused on the driver to create an optimal driving experience.”
- Customizable HMI switch layout with laser-etched symbols
- Wider door opening (3.5 inches fore-aft, 1 inch height increase)
- New seat with heating, cooling, and massage options
- Heated LED headlamps with cornering lights
- Stainless steel grille designed to last 20 years
Designers used virtual reality and driver clinics to refine ergonomics and visibility. Extensive testing included sled tests and finite element analysis to ensure durability on and off road. The one-piece bonded windshield and metal touchpoints further enhance longevity.
Why this matters
The redesigned Granite improves the driving experience for vocational truck operators, who spend long hours in their vehicles. New features like wider doors, enhanced seating, and durable materials aim to increase safety and productivity.
Terms in This Story
- body in white
- A stage in automotive design where the body shell is made from separate sheet metal components before assembly.
- vocational truck
- A truck designed for specific work applications such as construction, mining, or utility services.
- HMI
- Human-Machine Interface; the system through which the driver interacts with the vehicle's controls and displays.
- finite element analysis
- A computer simulation technique used to predict how a product reacts to real-world forces, vibration, heat, and other physical effects.
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