• Virtual training
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Modern trucks are an assembly of dozens of systems, both mechanical and (increasingly) electronic. It's a formidable task to keep technicians up to date with developments, and dealer demand for training has grown dramatically in the past few years. Each of lveco Ford's main dealers must have the Modus vehicle diagnostic system, and should have at least two technicians who have completed all 29 days of Modus training, lveco's training school at Winsford has just introduced a £500,000 "Virtual Reality Training" programme, which uses powerful computer workstations and software derived from military applications to allow students to solve problems on a realistic, three-dimensional simulation of a truck. UK firm VEGA developed the software. and has also produced systems for simulating the maintenance and repair of military aircraft.
Trainer Tony Walsh took CM through a typical "diagnosis", and it is clear that the Iveco system is comprehensive and involving. It uses two PC screens to show the process of fauit-firiding and repair—and the student has to go through every step of the process, from tilting the cab and removing the rocker-box cover (with a click of the mouse) to connecting the wires of the appropriate instrument and watching the rev-counter. The system also "remembers" the progress of each student, while the trainer can see each monitor and recommend a different approach if necessary.