LISLE, IL – International has launched a new DriverFirst initiative that focuses on designing vehicles from the driver’s perspective – something the company says will offer customers an edge in attracting and retaining qualified personnel.

“The DriverFirst philosophy has already helped us deliver multiple innovations, and it plays an even more prominent role in the new products that we will be bringing to the market starting this fall,” says Denny Mooney, senior vice president – global product development. “We are committed to helping our customers improve the total driver experience.”

Perhaps offering insight into what those products will be, DriverFirst focuses on four areas, International says:

• Comfort: Driver comfort is greatly enhanced by factors like ergonomics, interior lighting and color, as well as low noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).
• Safety: Driver safety can be enhanced by multiple factors, ranging from visibility and state-of-the-art headlights to advanced systems that use radar, digital cameras and other technologies to avoid and mitigate accidents.
• Productivity: Drivers benefit from technologies like automated manual transmissions, as well as improved vehicle serviceability and ease of maintenance.
• Efficiency: From improving fuel economy to designing more intuitive displays, drivers are interested in features that will help them get the job done more efficiently.

The approach was born in driver clinics, fleet feedback, and studied driver trends, the company says.

“The key takeaway from our research is that drivers want trucks that are designed to do the job,” Mooney said. “Drivers aren’t looking for something automotive or futuristic for its own sake. They just want something comfortable and functional, with a design that helps them do their job better and more easily.”

Learn more about DriverFirst at www.InternationalTrucks.com/DriverFirst.