[VIDEO] Mack Command Steer Coming to Granites

March 17, 2020

Mack Command Steer, an active power steering system, will be an option on axle-back versions of Mack’s Granite vocational model later this year. The electric-over-hydraulic system reduces driver fatigue and can help cut muscle strain up to 30 percent, and will be especially useful on the rugged, uneven terrain often encountered on job sites,

Command Steer was announced two weeks ago as an option on Mack Anthem highway tractors. It adds an electric motor to the hydraulic steering apparatus to boost and steering effort and smooth feedback from the wheels. It will be available for order in 2020’s third quarter.

“Driving a fully loaded, heavy-duty construction truck is a physically demanding task, especially when you add the uneven terrain common to most jobsites,” said Roy Horton, Mack Trucks’ director of product strategy. “With the added steering assist from Mack Command Steer, we are able to reduce driver effort by 85 percent and significantly improve driver productivity and jobsite safety.”

The system’s electronic control module monitors terrain, driver inputs and environmental elements more than 2,000 times per second through sensors found throughout the heavy truck. Based on that input, it provides variable steering effort through its electric motor, which applies additional torque as needed to the steering.

In addition to significantly reduced steering effort at slow speeds, Command Steer also helps filter out the effects of uneven terrain like holes, dips and ruts common to most jobsites. When such an irregularity is detected, the system reacts to counter the steering force, smoothing steering feedback and reducing the possibility of steering wheel “kicks.”

 Command Steer features a unique return-to-zero capability that automatically returns the steering wheel to the zero or center position in forward and reverse. This helps simplify tight maneuvers, such as backing a trailer or positioning a dump or mixer to unload.

“The system will also compensate for on-road situations like strong winds and crowned roads, helping drivers maintain greater control so they can focus on the task at hand,” Horton said.