ORLANDO, Fla. — After extensive consultations with shop owners and technicians, Nexiq has introduced a new diagnostic scan tool for the commercial vehicle industry.

The Pro-Link iQ is a handheld scan tool for commercial vehicles, with a rugged exterior and user-friendly and durable touch-screen, the company announced at the Technology and Maintenance Council meetings here yesterday. Currently, it is compatible with Caterpillar, Detroit Diesel and International engines and the company continues to work with other engine suppliers to bring them on-board as well, Tom Kotenko, director, Nexiq Technologies, said.

The Pro-Link iQ allows technicians to diagnose engines and other components such as braking systems with one tool. A single user interface simplifies troubleshooting, Kotenko said. It weighs just 2.5 lbs and requires virtually no training to use.

“It’s very powerful, very easy to use and somewhat intuitive,” he explained. “If a technician is not using (diagnostic tools) efficiently, they will not use it. It will sit there and collect dust and a diagnostic tool is a very expensive tool to be collecting dust.”

Nexiq, a division of Snap-On, consulted extensively with shop owners and technicians while designing the Pro-Link iQ, Koteno said. “The majority have told us this product is a winner.”

The system features an 8.4-inch colour screen and a 40-gigabyte hard drive the same hard drive you’ll find in iPods. There’s a long-lasting internal battery, but when working on a vehicle a technician can plug into that vehicle for power and to recharge the battery. Software can be easily updated online and the system can be plugged into a PC via a USB port.

The Pro-Link iQ will begin shipping later this week. The company is offering it first through Snap-On dealers and in May, 2008 it will be more widely available through other Nexiq distribution channels. The company is offering a free trial. The Pro-Link iQ comes pre-loaded with several applications which are available free for five uses. After that, customers can permanently purchase those applications.

The system retails for US$2,550 and additional applications will cost between $500 and $900, Kotenko said. The target market is high-end shops and dealerships.