A New Zealand launch event of the new mirrorless Actros was hosted by Trucks and Trailers at its South Auckland dealership on Saturday, July 4.
It included a live stream from Australia as Mercedes-Benz director Andrew Assimo travelled in the new truck from Melbourne to Daylesford in Victoria.
Thought to be the first launch event of its kind for a commercial vehicle manufacturer in the region, the live stream replaced a more regular launch which had to be put on hold due to COVID-19.
However, Trucks and Trailers had a number of the new Actros trucks on display and gave customers the chance to take it out on the road for a spin.
Damon Smith, Mercedes-Benz brand manager for Trucks & Trailers, says a number of the new vehicles have already been delivered to NZ customers and feedback on the MirrorCam system “has been very positive”.
Removing the mirror from the side of the door for two large camera screens inside the cabin has helped create more visibility and removed blind spots, Smith says.
It’s the first truck in Australia and New Zealand to feature cameras instead of side mirrors and also features a new multimedia system with two high-resolution tablet-style screens.
GPS-assisted predictive powertrain control helps with fuel efficiency and a key safety feature includes Active Brake Assist 5 which can perform full emergency braking for vehicles and pedestrians.
