Dana Plans Web-Based Course to Help Fleets With ‘Downspeeding’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Dana Holding Corp. is planning a new Web-based training and maintenance course aimed at keeping fleet technicians apprised of the changes in engine “downspeeding,” an increasingly prevalent strategy for boosting fuel efficiency.
“Downspeeding is important, because it helps the engine become more efficient,” said Steve Slesinski, Dana’s director of global product planning.
The training course, which will be available in the second quarter, will add to the component maker’s resources for more than 4,000 OEM and service dealerships in North America, he said at the Technology & Maintenance Council’s 2015 annual meeting.
“The engine is probably the most inefficient part of the powertrain system, so by enabling engines to run slower, you can improve the efficiency of the whole vehicle,” Slesinski told Transport Topics after a Feb. 15 press briefing at TMC.
Dana is supporting that effort “with the right axles and driveshaft systems to support the additional torque that happens as a result of slowing down the engine at highway cruise speed,” he said.
