IC Bus formally announced that over the next five to six months school bus customers will have access to both aftermarket and OEM engine upgrades via secure, Wi-Fi download without the need to visit dealers.
Navistar first announced in May the availability of “Over-the-Air” programming for Cummins engines in International Trucks. Navistar said OTA enables drivers or fleet managers at their own facilities to utilize a mobile interface to securely update engine control modules to the latest manufacturer-approved calibrations.
OTA programming in IC Bus models will first be available for aftermarket purchases at the end of the year, with the technology available on new vehicle purchases in January, the company added. OTA will be available on Navistar proprietary engines as well as on Cummins engines.
“Over-the-air programming is now a reality for school bus operators,” said Trish Reed, vice president and general manager for IC Bus, in a statement. “This first-in-the-industry innovation allows operators to update engine control modules with unprecedented ease and convenience over a safe, secure Wi-Fi connection, speeding their access to improved uptime and other benefits.”
She explained the two-way connected vehicle technology provided by OTA allows eligible users to pull the data from the bus, analyze the data, and communicate back to the bus.
“This capability can potentially enable future engine calibrations and other updates to be tailored to the requirements of a particular vehicle,” she added.
