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The gearbox goes into serial production in late 2023. For Tomas and hardware engineer colleague Daniel Häggström, the end of a long but exciting project is in sight.

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“There were many iterations, and each one takes a long time,” says Daniel. “It takes 30 weeks to get prototypes done, then we do the actual testing, then we make changes before the next generation of prototypes.”

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In the first few years, the hardware and software teams sat side by side. The hardware group were gatekeepers for the feasibility of software colleagues’ proposals, while the software team’s vehicle background saw them share insights into how the gearbox system would be integrated with the truck.

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“We had daily discussions with each other,” explains Tomas. “There was a lot of just trying to understand one another, asking things like why it’s so important for the hardware to have a shift brake at such a torque level.”

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“The gearbox hardware and software really define how you experience the truck,” continues Daniel.

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“They allow the engine to operate efficiently and powerfully. And gearshifting is vital for the vehicle’s driving comfort. It’s expensive to replace if it breaks down so you need to make sure it holds up for a long time. We had to get it right as this will set the standard for the years ahead.”��

Its most rigorous and extensive field testing took place in a mine in northern Sweden. And it was the mine operators’ challenging feedback that helped the team to surpass themselves.

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“There’s nothing as tough as mining operations, so if it copes with those it can cope with anything,” says Tomas.

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“There are steep hills, lots of reversing manoeuvres, and lots of twists and turns on rough, loose road surfaces. If you are driving up very steep hills and the gearshifting takes too long, the truck ends up standing still.”