Driving the new Volvo VNL heavy-duty truck | FE Unscripted

We've written a lot about it, but we finally got our hands on the all-new Volvo VNL Class 8 heavy-duty truck. The biggest thing you notice when you drop into the driver's seat is the visibility. The panoramic windshield certainly delivers, but it's the camera monitoring system that grabs the eye. Cameras are strategically placed on the A pillars, enhancing rear visibility and reducing blind spots.
To be honest, it takes some getting used to. Completing a lap around Volvo's 3+ mile test track, it took about halfway through the drive for me to get used to the video system, which seems counterintuitive as they clearly jump out at you from the get-go. But muscle memory is stubborn. Early in the drive I found myself turning my head too far--I was looking for my mirrors, when I could just glance over at the video screens mounted on the A-pillars instead. The other big thing I noticed is that once I got used them, I wanted them in every truck I hopped into. A quick caveat here is that I didn't have a chance to try them out in backing applications, but going forward, they definitely called out for a longer test drive to put them to work and see what I maybe couldn't see before.

[@gabrielf4448]

Everyone is talking abot how nice is truck or about technology but nobody is saying how much truck weighs

[@FaZeredemption3]

Carbon fiber frame and cab. Weighs less than any other truck

[@Sinerwray]

​@@FaZeredemption3wtf you talking about there no carbon fiber in this truck 😂

[@jamesaddie4895]

Where is he looking

[@chrislovett6120]

Most new drivers probably like all that new tech. Most of it I can do without

[@gabrielf4448]

@@chrislovett6120 exactly

[@Tygrysek1993]

But we live in the future so might as well enjoy what we have because it they had what we have now they would use it too.