The rise of electric commercial vehicles is turning the mechanic’s profession completely upside down. Getting dirty hands when changing oil or replacing filters is a thing of the past. Summa College is responding to this with a new type of workshop with remarkably few tools. “The laptop becomes their toolbox,” says team leader Rick van der Velden of Summa Automotive.
Two trucks are set up in the brand new workshop of the TruckAcademy 2.0 on the Automotive Campus in Helmond. They are connected to a laptop. The technical condition can be read on a large screen. “In the past, a truck came in and the cab was tilted. Then fluids were replaced,” says Van der Velden of Summa Automotive.
“Now the laptop is connected first. A complete diagnosis is made. Faults are read out and a software update is performed. In the future, as a technician, you have to be an IT specialist.”
“We will have to go with the technology.”
How different it is with Dennis van Herk of Truckland Acht. He works as a mechanic mainly on diesel trucks. In the garage he walks into one of the many grease pits: a space under the truck to carry out maintenance.
“It’s still a lot of filters to change. Adjust valves. I still get dirty hands.” He sees that it is all changing: “We already have technicians working on this. We will have to keep up with the technology.”
There is a great need for ‘new style’ fitters. All 46 commercial vehicle dealer locations in Southeast Brabant and Limburg are helping to train Summa Automotive’s mechanics. The workshop with laptops was officially put into use this week.
“The truck is becoming an iPad on wheels.”
Trainee Frank van Hoof looks at his laptop. His clean hands run over the keyboard. He likes the new way of working. “It’s nice and clean. Often you can already have the laptop diagnosed and repairs carried out. That just works really well.”
According to team leader Van der Velden, it is high time to keep up with the developments. “Technology is developing very quickly. The truck is going to change more and more. More and more electronics are coming in. It is becoming an iPad on wheels.”
“The youth we train will be ready in four to five years. Then there are more and more electric company cars. Diesel trucks and buses are also increasingly being banned from city centers. All manufacturers come onto the market with electric trucks and our students have to maintain that fleet in the future.”
Mechanic Dennis also goes along with the change. In any case, he already sees an advantage. “I don’t mind not getting dirty hands anymore,” he says with a laugh.
However, they will not always remain completely clean because occasionally the brakes and wheels still need to be lubricated.
