At IAA Transportation 2026, MAN Truck & Bus is presenting numerous innovations for its truck ranges, with a focus on efficiency, availability and safety. Consistent use of the further-developed MAN EfficientCruise cruise control with PredictiveDrive enables fuel or energy savings of around 5 per cent, depending on the operating profile – rising to as much as 9 per cent in demanding terrain. At the same time, automatic over-the-air map updates and 50 additional Charge&Go charging locations across Europe are boosting operational availability. New and enhanced driver assistance systems, including the next generation of the EBA Advanced emergency brake assist, along with a further-developed turning assistant, are also increasing safety for drivers and other road users. For demanding transport tasks on unpaved terrain, MAN is also adding a new electronic trailer stability brake to its range.
“Every litre of fuel saved counts – both for our customers’ cost-effectiveness and for reducing CO?emissions during vehicle operation. With model year 2026, we are making our trucks even more efficient through intelligent functions such as PredictiveDrive, and complementing this with new assistance systems for an additional boost in safety,” says Frederik Zohm, Executive Board Member for Research and Development at MAN Truck & Bus.
Even more efficient on the road with PredictiveDrive
At the heart of the efficiency drive is the further development of the terrain-responsive cruise control MAN EfficientCruise with PredictiveDrive, which MAN offers across all truck ranges from the TGL to the TGX, for both combustion and electric drivetrains alike. Using high-resolution three-dimensional maps, the GPS-based system reads the route profile of the selected navigation route up to three kilometres ahead and selects the optimum driving and gear-shifting strategy. In doing so, it not only takes into account gradients, descents and route layout, but is also becoming even smarter with regard to existing traffic infrastructure: ahead of roundabouts, junctions and speed limits, the system reduces vehicle speed – optimally adapted to the given driving situation through the interplay of the retarder or recuperation and the service brake – before automatically and efficiently accelerating the vehicle back up to the permitted speed. This significantly increases driving comfort for the driver and boosts acceptance of the system, as they no longer need to manually adjust the speed control. Depending on the vehicle type and operating profile, consistent use of MAN EfficientCruise with PredictiveDrive can achieve fuel or energy savings of around 5 per cent compared with manual driving. For heavy-duty vehicle ranges and in demanding terrain, savings of up to 9 per cent are even possible.
Greater availability through connected services
Alongside energy efficiency, MAN is also further improving the operational availability of its vehicles. With Connected Maps, map data will in future be updated automatically over the air. This eliminates the need for workshop visits for map updates, while ensuring that the performance of traffic sign recognition and PredictiveDrive remains consistently high, even as traffic infrastructure changes.
For battery-electric vehicles, MAN is also expanding its MAN Charge&Go offering with 50 additional charging locations across Europe, including in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Portugal. The charging service gives fleet customers access to a charging network that has been tested by MAN for suitability with electric trucks, that is continuously growing, and that can be used across national borders. This includes transparent, pre-negotiated terms, centralised monthly billing, a real-time overview of all charging processes, and integration into the RIO Fleet Monitor and the MAN Driver App.
Additional protection against unplanned costs for diesel vehicles is offered by the new electronic and mechanical fuel theft protection system. The electronic variant continuously monitors the fuel level in the tank, can detect attempted tampering at an early stage, and can trigger a visual and acoustic alarm as a deterrent.
New assistance systems increase road safety
With model year 2026, MAN is significantly expanding its portfolio of modern driver assistance systems. The latest version of the MAN Emergency Brake Assist, EBA Advanced, already meets legal requirements that will not come into force until September 2028, and significantly improves the detection of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. In the event of an imminent collision, it can intervene automatically, up to and including full braking, to prevent a collision entirely or to mitigate the consequences of an accident as far as possible. The latest version also takes into account oncoming vehicles in turning situations and helps to avoid side collisions with stationary vehicles protruding into the lane. EBA Advanced is generally active from a speed of 1 km/h up to the maximum speed, and offers a maximum speed reduction of up to 100 km/h. For the EU, MAN offers EBA exclusively as a version that cannot be permanently deactivated. For particular driving situations, the driver has the option to briefly deactivate the system. It is automatically reactivated after 15 minutes.
The new MAN Driver Monitoring System detects driver distraction and fatigue based on gaze direction, driving behaviour and lane-keeping accuracy, and provides timely warnings of critical situations. The attentiveness assessment from the Driver Monitoring System also influences the response behaviour of the emergency brake assist, allowing it to intervene earlier in dangerous situations where necessary.
FrontDetection Plus monitors the immediate area in front of the vehicle and detects pedestrians or cyclists at an early stage. If the driver does not respond to warning signals, the system can brake automatically, or can even prevent the vehicle from setting off if doing so would risk a collision with pedestrians or cyclists.
The turning assistant has also been enhanced. It now detects vulnerable road users in the side area even earlier and, where necessary, supports the driver with automatic braking interventions. The safety package is further complemented by side-area monitoring with an exit warning function, which warns of cyclists or other road users approaching from behind.
In addition, MAN is expanding its OptiView digital mirror replacement system with a variant featuring a conventional front mirror, giving customers an additional entry point into digital camera technology.
For demanding transport tasks: new trailer stabilisation brake
For demanding transport operations with heavy combinations, particularly in timber transport, on mountain routes, forest tracks and logging roads, or in difficult weather conditions, MAN will in future offer an electronic trailer stability brake. The system stabilises the combination during braking, when cornering and on slippery surfaces, significantly reducing the risk of jack-knifing, where the trailer pushes the towing vehicle off course. Once activated by the driver, the new function operates fully automatically. MAN is the first manufacturer to also offer pedal-controlled and manually controlled operating modes. The function is available for both electric and diesel trucks alike.
Equally useful for demanding operations are two further functions that MAN is presenting for the first time at IAA 2026 for diesel drivetrains: simplified activation of the off-road reduction gear to improve traction on rough terrain via a button or driving programme, and the new split adjustment for the power take-off, which allows different speed ranges to be set quickly and flexibly as needed from the driver’s workstation – something that was previously only possible via reprogramming in the workshop.
With these innovations at IAA Transportation 2026, MAN is consistently continuing its strategy of further increasing the cost-effectiveness, availability and safety of its vehicles – to the benefit of drivers, fleet operators and other road users alike.
