Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/74547
AHEAD OF THE CURVE The spacious VN cab includes plenty of power outlets and standard Bluetooth connection. windows can be quickly covered to black out the sleeper area. This model features a twin-bunk sleeper configu- ration for teams. Both bunks fold out of the way to reveal a well-situated work station with comfortable couch seating and plenty of storage. Up-front instrumentation is sparse on this trim level, but no worries: The Volvo Driver Information System featured in the center of the instru- ment cluster makes most of the gauge banks you see on premium-spec interiors obsolete anyway. The system is directly tied into the drivetrain and all critical vehicle systems to deliver performance and diagnostic information as well as real-time driver performance and fuel economy data. The truck also is wired for the new Volvo Link telematics sys- tem. Not only will the truck tell you if there's a problem – an alternator not putting out a full load, say – if you're a Volvo Link subscriber, the truck will alert your fleet or home base to the nature and severity of the problem. If the problem isn't critical, it will tell you to keep rolling while a repair facility is located, parts availability is 50 | Overdrive | August 2012 The full aerodynamic package is designed to allow for easy access to components such as the DPF system, seen here. lined up and an ETA/repair time is scheduled. It's all done wirelessly via the Internet. In a related touch, Volvo also recently made Bluetooth capabil- ity standard on all its tractors. Bio picks a 250-mile loop for us, heading out of Greensboro on I-40, where we'll kiss the suburban edge of Raleigh before picking up quiet back roads through Sanford, N.C., and back to Volvo headquarters. We'll have to pull some moderate hills, but my main challenge today will be traffic in this booming area of North Carolina. It's no sweat, though. At highway speeds, the D13 diesel lugs effortlessly, and you hardly notice – the interior is quiet, thanks to the