LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Cummins announced at the Mid-America Trucking Show that it was planning to “redefine efficiency” and one of its first steps is to release a new technology package dubbed ADEPT, which it says can improve fuel economy by up to 3%.

It will debut this summer. The ADEPT package includes a suite of electronic features, which together sense vehicle load, speed and grade and then use the capabilities of the ISX engine and Eaton automated manual transmission to modify the speed, power and gear to maximize efficiency.

The system takes advantage of the truck’s momentum to conserve energy and reduce fuel consumption, Cummins officials explained at a press conference on the eve of the Mid-America Trucking Show.

“This will help reduce driver-to-driver variability and make each and every driver more efficient and more consistent and turn the fleet operation into a more consistent and efficient operation,” explained Jim Fier, vice-president, engineering, medium-, heavy- and light-duty engine business.

One of the features will be SmartCoast, which will disengage the transmission when the truck is travelling downhill, reducing drag on the engine and improving fuel economy.

Additional features and technologies will be added later, Fier said.

Cummins is also planning noteworthy enhancements to its 2017 ISX15 engine, which will be available with engine ratings from 400-605 hp. It will be offered in two packages: one aimed at fleets looking for efficiency and another designed for fleets and owner/operators who want maximum performance and power. Fier said Cummins is revamping its combustion recipe, developing a more responsive and efficient turbocharger and reducing parasitic losses from within the engine.

This will allow for greater downspeeding, he added. The 2017 ISX15 will undergo nine million miles of testing – equal to 4,000 trips from coast to coast within the US.

A new ISB6.7 is also coming to the market, featuring an enhanced torque rise, increased fuel efficiency – especially in stop-and-go applications – and greater powertrain integration, as well as natural gas availability, Fier announced.