Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

HDT Announces Top 20 Products for 2018

Heavy Duty Trucking magazine has announced its 2018 Top 20 Products, highlighting the most innovative, significant, and useful new product announcements from last year.

by Staff
February 16, 2018
HDT Announces Top 20 Products for 2018

HDT has announced its list of the Top 20 Products for 2018.

2 min to read


HDT has announced its list of the Top 20 Products for 2018.

Heavy Duty Trucking magazine has announced its 2018 Top 20 Products, highlighting the most innovative, significant, and useful new product announcements from last year.

The winners are published in the February issue. Awards will be presented during individual ceremonies at the ATA's Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga., March 5-8.

Ad Loading...

Each year, HDT editors spend a lot of time going to press conferences and combing through news releases on the latest new products for trucking. At the end of the year, they embark on a process to identify the very best of the past year’s introductions for the Top 20 Products.

Editors sifted through all of the new product announcements that appeared in the magazine or on the Truckinginfo.com website over the course of 2017 to winnow down the list. Products are chosen based on the level of innovation, ability to address significant industry issues, and potential benefit to the bottom line.

A panel of HDT current and former HDT Truck Fleet Innovators, Emerging Leaders, and maintenance executives active in the Technology & Maintenance Council are then consulted to arrive at the final 20. This year the list includes 21 products because of a voting tie. 

Ad Loading...

Entire vehicles are not included, and products must be commercially available or scheduled to become commercially available this year.

The resulting Top 20 products are listed in alphabetical order by company name:

  • Accuride Rolliant Hub System

  • Ancra Cargo Security Divider and Deck Board

  • Carrier Transicold 35X

  • Cummins X12 engine

  • Daimler Trucks North America Detroit DD8 engine

  • Dana lightweight driveshafts

  • Eaton Cummins Endurant/Paccar Automated Transmission

  • Grote Smart Guardian Trailer System

  • Haldex Intelligent Trailer Control Module

  • Hendrickson Traxx Rod

  • Hyliion 6X4HE

  • Jost JSK37USK air-release fifth wheel with sensor

  • Kinedyne curtain-side solutions

  • Mac Total Area Lighting Kit

  • Marangoni retread for spread axle trailers

  • Meritor 14X HE tandem drive axle

  • Navistar A26 engine

  • SmartDrive SmartSense for Distracted Driving

  • Thermo King power management

  • Truck-Lite Road Ready

  • Wabco OptiFlow AutoTail

More Products

Saegic TrackRR Gateway solar-powered trailer telematics device shown alongside screenshots of the Saegic Cloud Platform displaying trailer location, tire monitoring, and equipment status.
Fleet Management•November 4, 2026

Road Ready Becomes Saegic, Launches New Trailer Telematics Gateway

Clarience Technologies is rolling out new hardware and expanding its plans for connecting trailer telematics, maintenance data, and video.

Read More →
YouTube thumbnail showing man being interviewed and backup camera and in-cab screen showing backup video
Safety & Compliance•by Deborah Lockridge•October 23, 2026

More Trailer Data Through the Same Seven-Way [Video]

Can trucking’s standard seven-way connector handle more cameras and trailer data? Grote’s Adam Slade shows HDT how the company is using new technology with its 4See trailer system, not only to add a new backup camera but also to expand other capabilities — without adding another connection.

Read More →
Computer rendering showing airflow around a trailer’s tandem wheels equipped with FlowBelow AeroSlider fairings and wheel covers.
Fuel Smarts•by Deborah Lockridge•October 18, 2026

FlowBelow Redesigns Trailer AeroSlider to Cut Fuel Use

The lighter trailer aerodynamic system installs in less than 45 minutes, according to the company, with potential payback in under a year depending on fuel prices and trailer mileage.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
photos of three Shell heavy-duty engine oil bottles
Maintenance•by News/Media Release•October 16, 2026

Shell Prepares Rotella Oils for 2027

New CL-4 and FB-4 formulations will begin arriving in early 2027, with improved protection against oil breakdown, wear and deposits, according to Shell.

Read More →
Overhead view of an Einride autonomous electric truck positioned between trailers at an EASE Logistics warehouse loading area in Marysville, Ohio.

Einride Driverless Electric Trucks Begin Daily Freight Operations in Ohio

Two cabless electric trucks are hauling freight between EASE Logistics facilities in Marysville, Ohio, as part of a multi-state truck automation project.

Read More →
Two truck tires with a muted highway background
Maintenance•by News/Media Release•October 2, 2026

Continental Introduces New Regional Truck Tires

Continental says its new Generation 5 steer and drive tires for regional operations offer longer tread life, with estimated mileage gains of 22% and 19%, respectively.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Interior of freight cargo trailer or body with translucent roof letting in daylight
Equipment•by News/Media Release•October 1, 2026

Tekmodo Introduces CargoBright Brand for Translucent Trailer Roofs

CargoBright is designed to diffuse daylight across the cargo area while performing as a working vehicle roof.

Read More →
Photo of new Michelin drive tire
Equipment•by News/Media Release•September 15, 2026

Michelin Tire Improves Efficiency and Durability for Regional Fleets

The Michelin X Multi Energy D2 is a regional haul drive tire engineered to help fleets improve fuel efficiency, durability and traction in demanding stop-and-go operations.

Read More →
Geotab screen on AI concept background
Fleet Management•June 17, 2026

What Geotab's New AI Connector Means for Fleets

Fleets can now ask their usual AI assistants questions about maintenance, safety, fuel use, and vehicle performance, using their live Geotab data, and take action on the answers without leaving their preferred AI tool.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Dual truck tires with black aerodynamic wheel cover and a man bending down getting ready to take one off
Fuel Smarts•by Deborah Lockridge•April 10, 2026

Deflecktor: Hubbub Aerodynamic Wheel Cover Cost-Effective Even for Trailers

Aerodynamic wheel covers can deliver small but meaningful fuel-economy gains for fleets, and Deflecktor says its latest design aims to make the technology easier and more affordable to deploy.

Read More →