Eicher introduces AMT gearboxes in commercial vehicles

Eicher Trucks & Buses has announced the introduction of AMT gearboxes in its range of commercial vehicles in India. The AMT technology will initially be available in the complete range of LMD (light and medium duty) and HD (heavy duty) buses as well as medium duty trucks sold by the manufacturer in the country. Eicher will further expand the presence of AMT gearbox in more segment vehicles sold under its brand.

The presence of AMT (automated manual transmission) gearbox eliminates the need for the driver to manually engage and disengage the clutch and operate the gear lever. The AMT module takes care of all these activities without any driver inputs. Eicher claims that this not only reduces driver fatigue but also improves concentration on the road, thus enhancing road safety.

The AMT technology used in Eicher commercial vehicles has been adapted from the OptiDrive technology developed by WABCO. Eicher's Pro series is the first range of vehicles to get the AMT technology. These vehicles also come with a hill start assist feature that stops the vehicle from rolling back while driving up a gradient. The company also claims that the inclusion of AMT will help reduce wear on transmission thus reducing the maintenance cost and increasing the vehicle's life. Eicher will be producing its range of AMT commercial vehicles at its production facility in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh.