Volvo Trucks is making its Remote Diagnostics feature standard equipment on Volvo-powered VHD and VAH vocational models. It’s now standard across the company’s entire North American product line, on all Volvo-powered VNM and VNL models since mid-2012.

The remote communication platform helps maximize vehicle uptime by providing proactive diagnostic and repair planning assistance with detailed analysis of critical diagnostic trouble codes.

Volvo says the feature has demonstrated a marked improvement in repair accuracy and efficiency, reducing the average diagnostic time at a service location by 71% and lowering the average time of repair by 25%. The service also helps improve parts availability and provides technicians with easy-to-read repair instructions before the truck arrives for service. It can be a big time-saver.

Prior to launch, Volvo says it field-tested Remote Diagnostics with carriers in the U.S. and Canada, drawing on the feedback from 15 unique customers operating more than 1300 Volvo VNs with the service. Since then, more than 8500 trucks have been built with the proactive diagnostics capabilities.

Frost & Sullivan presented Remote Diagnostics with the 2012 North American Customer Value Enhancement Award in Commercial Vehicle Repair and Maintenance. It has also won Volvo internal awards.