Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) announced it will introduce unattended over-the-air software updates later this year, allowing fleets to update truck software without needing drivers to stay with the vehicle during the process.

Updates will run overnight, during breaks or while trucks are parked, allowing vehicles to stay up to date without interrupting operations, reducing downtime.

“We are always striving to maximize our customers’ uptime, and this is an important milestone,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of VTNA. “Drivers will be able to start a software update, lock the truck and walk away, whether that’s for a break or at the end of the day, and return to an updated vehicle. It’s a simpler way for fleets to keep trucks current without interrupting operations.”

The new feature will operate through the company’s connected 24-volt platform and expands the company’s existing remote programming capabilities. VTNA said in a news release that more than 80% of connected Volvo trucks operating on the latest software have already received over-the-air updates, contributing to a 24% reduction in unplanned stops.

Volvo Trucks completed more than 18,000 over-the-air software updates in May, with systems capable of dispatching up to 10,000 updates per day across its connected fleet, the company added.