The integration of technology into heavy vehicles has opened new possibilities for preventing road accidents, but safety is no longer limited to the systems installed in the vehicles. Connectivity, operational monitoring, and operator training are also part of a strategy aimed at reducing risks.
For Gilberto Rodríguez, Sales Engineering and Electromobility Manager at Scania Mexico , the integration of these elements allows for better use of the tools available in the vehicles and their application to daily operations.
“The big differentiator is how everything works together: the truck, the monitoring systems, that is, fleet management systems, and the training and development aspect,” Rodríguez explained.
In an interview with T21, he pointed out that Scania ‘s strategy starts with the design of the vehicles and includes the incorporation of different driver assistance systems.
“At Scania, safety is a design feature, not an optional package,” he stated, explaining that these systems are integrated as standard in the units that the company sells in Mexico.
Among the available technologies are emergency braking assistance , blind spot detection , lane departure warning and correction , as well as sensors to detect objects , pedestrians and cyclists in the front, side and rear areas of the vehicle.
Adaptive cruise control is also included , allowing the driver to set a speed and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front. According to Rodríguez, if that distance decreases, the system can intervene and even bring the vehicle to a complete stop without driver intervention.
However, the executive maintained that the vehicle’s equipment is only one component of the strategy, which also includes connectivity, monitoring systems, fleet management, and operator training.
Rodríguez explained that the information generated by the units allows observation of their behavior and, together with training, the use of technology as part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at increasing safety during operation.
Regarding the equipment, he also highlighted the use of a hydraulic retarder associated with the transmission, a component that contributes to the control of the unit and is part of the specifications of the brand’s vehicles.
Electromobility still faces challenges in Mexico
The technological evolution of heavy transport also opens another front for the industry: electromobility . The specialist considered that Mexico is in an initial stage and that its progress will depend mainly on three components: technology, charging infrastructure, and regulation.
Regarding the first point, he noted that the technology is already available among manufacturers participating in the Mexican market. The challenge, he said, lies primarily in creating the necessary conditions to broaden its adoption.
“The electric vehicle charging infrastructure, which in Mexico, to be completely honest, is not enough and there is much more to develop,” he said.
Added to this challenge is the need to advance laws and regulations that allow for the standardization of specifications for both the charging infrastructure and the electric vehicles themselves.
For Rodríguez, having the technology, expanding the charging network, and developing a regulatory framework will be the three fundamental elements for Mexico to gradually move towards electromobility in transportation.
Regarding its performance in the Mexican market, Scania accumulated 524 retail sales of cargo vehicles between January and March 2026 , of which 295 were tractor-trailers and 229 were other types of cargo vehicles, according to figures from the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Manufacturers (ANPACT) . Tractor-trailer sales represented a 21.1% decrease compared to the same period in 2025, while other types of cargo vehicles saw a 472.5% increase.
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