Apparently DSG style twin clutch boxes are in development with Volvo… They will be immense. Instant changes, no loss of momentum.
Can’t wait!
GasGas:
The all-new super-modern Euro 6 DAF XF has gone back to a manual shift as standardtruckingtopics.co.uk/newdafxftestdriv.html
in the UK at least.
That says more about ZFs inability to match I-Shift/Powershift than auto boxes as a whole.
I loved those old slap stick 4 by 4s in the MAN, the best was the 4 over 4 with the range changer and splitter in the Volvo and Daf. Also the 3 over 3 with range and splitter in the 113 et al. I wasn’t keen on the Hitler’s revenge Powerliner 2 Salvesen gave me with EPS. Yeah it had a splitter that I liked but the sod gave up and chucked me into neutral fully freighted on a hill start in a town in Yorks. ■■■■ thing just beeping away- 90s tech! I had fun and games learning the Irish jig on the twin splitter ERF. I recall a young new recruit at Corby Glenn Transport panicked with a twin split ERF heading downhill and managed to spill gearbox all over Barrowby hill in Grantham. There was oil and sand dust everywhere for ages. I Felt like I had made it as my old man drove one. Now I hear the industry has gone all auto like buses. Eeuuuw. I always used to think when a wagon driver at least we dont have autos like bus drivers, nothing to do. How do you like them? I’d find it pretty boring I think.
easy, one arm resting on the door sill. like sitting back in the big chair watching the telly, dreaming, so when the thing suddenly takes on its will and grabbs the stering, overcorrectivness takes over, fishtails, bang
one hand wonders !.
would you pass your test hokding on with one hand, or a few fingers ?
I have only driven auto MANS and DAFS recently, must say I think the auto box allows you more concentration for traffic conditions. The MAN’s are awfull in traffic though the delay from throttle down to starting to move is two or three seconds and can make for some hairy moments. On the DAFs they don’t want to change down when you back of the throttle until you intervene with exhaust brake, even then it will sometimes stay in 10th till the last minute then drop to 4th.
…or maybe its because you can get a licence after only a couple of weeks of training !! 
Have to say only driving the CF auto a few days now.Is it me,(and the other 200 or so drivers in our place),or is this the worst gearbox ever installed in a lorry?
Yes, I suffer the same gearbox in a MAN.
It will: Refuse to change up gears frequently, such as staying in 10th up to the limiter, even on cruise, maybe only going to 12th when encountering a downhill. Empty.
Change down to a low gear putting the revs well into the red. Occasionally, but only when empty. Good on an icy road!
Stall frequently when pulling away, loaded or empty.
When selecting F from R or vice-versa whilst manoeuvering it will sometimes flick itself from F to R about 10 times a second.
Most of the time I drive in Manual for obvious reasons!
If it is doing all that then there’s something badly wrong with it somewhere and it needs looking at by the dealer as a matter of urgency.
newmercman:
There is a component in modern day lorries, that is absolutely responsible for 99% of the crashes they have.It’s called the steering wheel attendant.
HTH
Yes indeed. These modern things are all very good, but in a great deal of cases they aren’t exploited properly. Auto gearboxes and cruise control,(of which I’m a huge devotee), are really supposed to free us up to take more notice of our surroundings and act accordingly. It is failure to act accordingly that is a contributing factor to quite a few so called accidents, but as a previous poster has said, one simply can’t generalise about these things and I’m in agreement with him in that each case has to be properly investigatedd and judged on it’s merits.