Company removing manual gear selection override on automatic trucks?

So, without a manual mode ... how would you keep it in a lower gear going down a steep hill??

 

With or without the engine brake?

With it, just set the cruise control and the system will do the work.
If the hill is simply too steep you will have to brake down to a better speed/rpm and then set the cruise control again until it happens again.

If the cruise isn't set you can set the engine brake to max and apply a very light brake. The system will sense that you are trying to slow down and keep you in the lowest gear it can, and shift down when it can to slow you even more.

But I think without the engine brake and without a manual shift control, you would be hosed.
The way that system works it might just go into coast mode and not even be in gear, to leave you free falling with only your service brakes - until they caught on fire.

 

It will still downshift. You could do it like @Moosetek13 said, and use cruise control or even leave it in auto mode.

With mine, in Auto, if you set the jake brakes on it will immediately go into downshift mode and strong engine braking even though you might not need that right now. Just like a manual, you can touch the throttle and the jake turn off but the truck is likely to upshift and the process repeats.

The other option would be to touch the throttle, and turn on the jakes, let off throttle and let the jakes work a little then turn off the jakes, let it build up speed and turn on the jakes and off as necessary.

What I do now is set it in Manual mode and work the jakes as necessary.

The system has what is called IPM or Integrated Powertrain Management. Basically all the terrain maps have been downloaded into the transmission computer to know when to go into Ecoast mode, when to downshift and when to upshift. This is all designed for best fuel economy. 0therwise the truck does just about the same on fuel as a manual standard. My opinion this is a big hokey selling point, the real agenda is to get new inexperienced drivers up and running sooner with less training.

 

I think they are overreacting. Turning off manual override isn't a safety emergency. Having your Jake go kaput and no brakes and no gear control on a steep grade would be an emergency.

 

My Volvo has no manual mode, just a setting to lock the tranny into the current gear.

 

Defeating the manual option on a auto is foolish.

I have run a auto and im a tell you that manual option works best in special situations which is fairly common. downgrade on ice, you have her settled just so and you do NOT want a gear change. Now with the option disabled, that dam thing gonna shift and over you go. crash.

I would absolutely refuse a truck offered with a manual option disabled. Period. It's the only way, when a company foolishly disables the option they better have 300 tractors sitting in the yard unused because they all are refused by the entire driver work force.

 

Same thing. That is why there is a manual mode. Take that out that tranny is going to shift in the worst of times.

 

Just a heads up I suspect this team goes through the Canadian Rockies and at times is near 100,000 lbs I'd want control on hills that are 8% plus where you're starting off at 20 mph or so in a controlled descent..

 

If you watch a few of their other videos you would see that they spend a helluva lot of that money on all kinds of stuff. She lives on QVC when not behind the wheel.

I have the same model truck they have and I am in amazement at how much they have crammed into theirs and still have space to sit and sleep.