Amongst its recent showcasing of a new vehicle line headed to Australia, Isuzu has tweaked its product development approach as it looks to the future of trucking technology.
It showed off the Isuzu Modular Architecture and Component Standard (I-MACS) process at its manufacturing plant in Fujisawa, Japan.
The company says this new approach allows for flexibility in vehicle construction, allowing a combination of various components, parts and devices to be used with future technological advancements in mind.
Isuzu Australia head of product Matt Sakhaie explains how I-MACS works.
“There are a range of factors impacting Australian customers in the near future. We see these radiating from issues such as changes in regulation and legislation, technological advancements, as well as a level of post-pandemic uncertainty across a variety of industries,” he says.
“Isuzu Australia has a strong reputation for reliability and dependability, which is what I-MACS will continue to deliver for our customers so that they are well-supported as they tackle these challenges.
“In the simplest terms, the I-MACS approach is a balance between what customers have been asking for up until now and what will be demanded in the new era of transport.”
Isuzu says this will allow legacy models to remain adaptable and gives dealers and technicians the ability to keep working with them even as newer options arrive.
It will allow a greater number of parts to be used for a wider range of current and future models, including:
- ICE power plants
- Transmission types
- Fuel cell stacks
- Hydrogen tanks
- Batteries and charging equipment (EVision Cycle Concept)
- Fuel tanks
- Axles
- Advanced safety devices
Sakhaie says that the I-MACS approach has future efficiency at the forefront of its thinking, and that this is only the start of the company’s future approaches to vehicle production.
“Instead of setting up new main production lines for the new-generation models, Isuzu have re-structured the same main assembly lines for both new and prior generations,” he says.
“Backed by I-MACS, the aim is to reduce man-hours and further capital investment.
“We are at the starting point of a longer journey. Backed by the capabilities of I-MACS, we believe we’re extremely well positioned to respond to whatever conditions the future may hold and support our customers with ongoing reliability and the quality they’ve come to know and trust.”