Navistar this week unveiled the International HV, the upcoming replacement for the WorkStar steel-cab vocational model.
The HV, for heavy vocational, uses the same hood and grille as International’s current WorkStar but includes an upgraded cab, and will be standard with the new A26 diesel that was announced earlier this year. It is the latest truck model that is part of Navistar’s Project Horizon, which has added a redesigned interior and stiffer doors with larger windows to the basic steel cab shell.
Denny Mooney, senior vice president for global product development, said interior improvements were designed using ideas from hundreds of drivers who were surveyed during development of the Horizon cab. Changes include new instruments, controls, dashboard, and sealing that make the HV and other models easier and more comfortable to drive.
Lower sills for side windows enlarge the glass area and improve visibility, said David Majors, vice president of engineering. Mirrors were moved forward so drivers don’t have to turn their heads quite as far to see images of traffic alongside and toward the truck’s rear.
Doors are twice as stiff as the previous design, improving sealing and helping to keep out wind and road noise. That reduces fatigue and keeps drivers fresh and alert.
A new power distribution panel in the right portion of the dash keeps those electrical parts inside, out of harsh weather and road spray, and makes them easy to access and work on, said Majors. If a beverage is spilled on the dash above the panel, a gutter carries away the liquid to keep it from getting into the electrical components.
The HV will enter production in Spring 2018.
