Kenworth has made the Predictive Cruise Control system standard on the flagship T680 on-highway truck, as of July 1.

Predictive Cruise Control combines GPS with cruise control to optimize fuel efficiency on certain types of terrain. The system uses topographical GPS data inputs to aid cruise speed efficiency. For example, when a truck is going up a hill, Predictive Cruise Control allows the speed to drop slightly below the set speed to maximize momentum and save fuel.

“The T680 equipped with Kenworth Predictive Cruise Control system provides opportunities for enhanced driveability and fuel economy through the fine-tuning of the engine’s modulation of speed and torque over a variety of actual driving conditions,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director.

The T680 comes standard with the proprietary Paccar Powertrain, which features the 12-speed Paccar transmission. In addition to integration with predictive cruise control, the Paccar transmission provides predictive shifting, which optimizes gear shift selections based on vehicle weight, engine torque, throttle, and grade position. Also, Predictive neutral coast uses GPS to shift into neutral on downhill grades to further reduce engine RPM and fuel usage, while using gravity and momentum to propel the truck forward.

Related: Kenworth's Predictive Cruise Control Looks Ahead to Save Fuel