Freightliner unveils Fifth Generation Cascadia

Industry's best-selling Class 8 truck sets new standards in safety, efficiency and profitability

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Freightliner, a leading manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and a division of Daimler Truck North America LLC (DTNA), today unveiled the fifth generation Cascadia. The newest addition to the Freightliner family builds on its legacy as the industry's preferred on-highway truck with advanced safety features, increased aerodynamic efficiency and the addition of new business intelligence tools to benefit profitability.

"Since its original introduction in 2007, our customers have purchased more than one million Freightliner Cascadias, making it the most driven Class 8 truck on North American roads," said David Carson, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Daimler Truck North America. "When we set out to develop this newest version and build on its legacy of excellence, we listened closely to our customers and what they, their drivers and their fleets needed. More safety features, greater efficiency and increased profitability is what we heard, and it's what we're proud to deliver."

Advanced safety features for complete assurance

The fifth generation Freightliner Cascadia debuts all-new, expanded capabilities for the Detroit Assurance Suite of Safety Systems. Notable system updates include enhanced computing power and an upgraded camera, as well as four new short-range radar sensors and an improved long-range radar sensor – all of which provide for new and updated safety offerings, including:

• Active Brake Assist 6 (ABA6) is now capable of adding automatic braking when detecting vehicles stopped at odd angles, vehicles in curves, stopped vehicles across multiple lanes, and recognizing both moving – and now – stationary pedestrians.
• Active Lane Assist 2 (ALA2), in addition to previous capabilities, now features Lane Change Assist – which can help mitigate out-of-lane accidents by providing counter steering in case a truck attempts to enter an already occupied lane.
• Attentive Driver Protection – when Lane Keep Assist, a feature of ALA2, is on and active – this monitors driver attention through steering wheel input and can initiate a sequence that keeps the Cascadia centered in its lane, slows the vehicle to a stop and turns on the hazard lights if the driver is not responsive.
• Side Guard Assist 2 (SGA2) is now able to detect and warn drivers about objects on the driver side as well as the passenger side of the vehicle, from the cab to the end of the trailer.

An all-new Intelligent Braking Control System (IBCS) for the Freightliner Cascadia introduces proven brake-by-wire technology combined with backup pneumatics and employs wheel speed sensors and a chassis-mounted electronic control unit to help provide advanced deceleration control. IBCS allows for the introduction of Comfort Braking, which provides brake force distribution, lining wear control and performance monitoring. These features ensure smoother, more confident braking – especially in sudden stops – and help to elongate brake pad life through even wear.

IBCS also includes Endurance Braking, a feature that seamlessly blends the engine retarder and service brakes when the foot pedal is applied, helping to further extend brake life. An all-new electronic park brake enables Rollaway Mitigation, which is designed to automatically apply the parking brake when a driver leaves the seat or opens the door without setting the brake to help prevent costly rollaways and improve safety.

Also new are the Dual Stage Intelligent LED Headlights, which offer increased durability and impact resistance. They are also engineered to melt away ice and eliminate condensation in minutes. With an increased beam pattern, auto high beam feature and easier beam adjustment capabilities, they enhance visibility, safety and driver comfort.

The fifth-generation Freightliner Cascadia offers the factory-installed MirrorCam System – a state-of-the-art camera system that enhances driver visibility. Cameras mounted high above the doors provide a wide field of view and are equipped with infrared technology and hydrophobic coatings to repel water and other contaminants. MirrorCam helps to improve visibility, especially at night and during inclement weather, and improve driver comfort by minimizing head and neck movement.

Shaped by experience: Efficiency that drives success

Through four generations of proven performance, the Freightliner Cascadia has continued to provide fuel efficiency gains of more than 35 percent since the model's first introduction. Key aerodynamic improvements for the fifth generation provide additional fuel economy benefit of 1.9 percent and include a new hood design, a redesigned A-pillar deflector, three-piece front wheel well closeouts, a hood-to-bumper seal, and new bumper air ducts that direct airflow around the underbody and tires to increase efficiency. Also available is the option of the new Max Aero Bumper, which brings even greater efficiency without sacrificing ground clearance, durability or serviceability.

The fifth generation Freightliner Cascadia, like its predecessors, offers a full lineup of engine options to suit the diverse operational needs of fleets and their drivers. Available at launch are the powerful and fuel-efficient Detroit DD13 and DD15 engines, with ratings of up to 505hp and 1,850 lb-ft of torque. The Cummins X15 and X15N, the first natural gas engine designed specifically for heavy-duty and on-highway truck applications, will be available for Cascadias built in 2026 and are available with 400 to 605 hp and 1,450 to 2,050 lb-ft of torque.

Maximizing profitability with business intelligence inside

To help improve uptime and furnish greater operational insights, the Cascadia comes equipped with advanced technology enabling both new and familiar business intelligence tools. The newest connected telematics platform powering Detroit Connect brings on-the-road benefits for drivers, as well as more real-time information relayed back to fleet managers. Additionally, a new electrical architecture enhances cybersecurity and enables faster processing speeds.

New key features of Detroit Connect include:

• Detroit Connect Video Capture 2.0 automatically records and captures data during safety events or when initiated by a driver, providing fleet managers with remote access to valuable insights on driver behavior and potential risks. Videos are available in near-real-time through an improved user interface within the Detroit Connect Portal.
• Remote Lock and Unlock is a new feature derived directly from fleet manager feedback and brings the ability to lock and unlock vehicles on demand, reducing roadside assistance costs and increasing vehicle uptime.
• Geofencing allows customers to create custom-defined geographic areas in the Detroit Connect Portal and receive notifications when vehicles enter or leave that area.
• Detroit Connect Safety Plus is a subscription service that allows fleet managers to remotely track and receive notifications about the status and health of Detroit Assurance safety systems.
• Premium Remote Parameter Updates expands the number of parameters available for update over the air from seven to more than 50.

"The fifth generation Freightliner Cascadia is more than just a truck, it's a complete freight transportation solution designed for those ready for what's next. It combines purposeful technologies for exceptional safety, efficiency and profitability, and it's ready to meet the needs of each of our customers' unique businesses," continued Carson.

The fifth generation Freightliner Cascadia is scheduled to begin production mid-2025.

About Freightliner Trucks
Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Truck North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon. With 80 years of experience, Freightliner produces and markets medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks as the leading heavy-duty truck brand in North America. DTNA is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck Holding AG (DTG), one of the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.

About Daimler Truck North America
Daimler Truck North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a leading provider of comprehensive products and technologies for the commercial transportation industry. Daimler Truck North America designs, engineers, manufactures and markets medium- and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, vehicle chassis and their associated technologies and components under the Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp and Detroit brands. Daimler Truck North America LLC is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck Holding AG (DTG), one of the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.

For more information, visit Freightliner.com or northamerica.daimlertruck.com.

Media Contact: 
Andrew Johnson, [email protected]
DTNA Press Inbox, [email protected]

SOURCE Daimler Truck North America LLC