ZF TraXon 2 Coach Powers Hino’s New S’elega Premium Coach

ZF Friedrichshafen AG has supplied its latest-generation TraXon 2 Coach automated manual transmission for Hino’s new S’elega premium coach in Japan, marking the first Hino application of the solution in the coach segment. The adoption extends the companies’ existing collaboration beyond trucks into premium passenger transportation. The 12-speed AMT combines an in-house developed electronic control unit with shift actuators designed to support optimized gear selection and precise shifting performance. The transmission is integrated with ZF’s Intarder hydrodynamic retarder, providing auxiliary braking without wear and operating independently of engine speed. This configuration is designed to support controlled deceleration during extended downhill driving and highway operation.

12-Speed AMT and Integrated Intarder Support Coach Operation

The transmission system combines automated shifting with the integrated Intarder retarder to improve braking management during demanding coach operation. The hydrodynamic retarder provides wear-free auxiliary braking independently of engine speed, helping maintain stable deceleration on long downhill sections and during highway driving. According to the source article, the system can reduce use of the service brake by up to 90%. Lower service-brake utilization can help extend service intervals while also reducing maintenance costs and brake dust emissions. For the S’elega, the combination provides a drivetrain and auxiliary braking package intended to support controlled operation while reducing reliance on conventional friction braking during sustained deceleration.

ZF Expands Technology Supply for Hino S’elega

ZF’s involvement in the new S’elega extends beyond the transmission system. The company also supplies braking, suspension, and driver assistance technologies for the premium coach, creating a broader portfolio of vehicle systems within the application. Its braking technology includes the Electronic Braking System, while the suspension package combines Continuous Damping Control with Electronic Shock Absorber Control and OptiRide Electronically Controlled Air Suspension. ZF also provides short-range radar sensors that support several driver assistance functions. These include the Blind Spot Information System, Blind Spot Warning Detection, and Front Cross Traffic Alert, adding electronic sensing capabilities to the vehicle’s safety architecture.

Hino Application Extends ZF Collaboration Beyond Trucks

The S’elega program represents an expansion of the relationship between ZF and Hino into a different commercial vehicle application. Their collaboration had previously included the truck segment, while the new premium coach introduces ZF’s TraXon 2 Coach solution to Hino’s coach lineup in Japan. The application therefore brings ZF’s automated transmission, retarder, braking, suspension, and sensing technologies together within Hino’s new S’elega. The development also demonstrates how a supplier relationship can extend across vehicle categories when common requirements for drivetrain control, braking performance, ride management, and driver assistance can be addressed through integrated systems.

ZF Technologies Also Used in Isuzu Gala

The technology relationship also extends to the Isuzu Gala through J-Bus, the joint venture between Hino and Isuzu. ZF states that its technologies used in the new S’elega are also applied in the Isuzu Gala through this joint venture. This provides another application for ZF systems within the Japanese coach market while connecting the supplier’s technology portfolio with vehicles associated with both Hino and Isuzu. The shared use of these technologies covers systems supplied for the S’elega, including transmission-related, braking, suspension, and driver assistance solutions. The development places ZF’s components across multiple coach applications within the same broader Japanese commercial vehicle ecosystem.

Industry Impact & Outlook

ZF’s adoption in the S’elega strengthens its position within Hino’s premium coach applications by extending an established truck relationship into passenger transportation. The combination of a 12-speed AMT, integrated hydrodynamic retarder, electronically controlled suspension, braking systems, and radar-supported assistance functions also illustrates the growing integration of multiple vehicle systems within commercial coaches. For operators, reduced service-brake use could have practical maintenance implications, particularly where sustained downhill or highway operation is common. The immediate next step is the deployment of these technologies in the new S’elega, while their application in the Isuzu Gala through J-Bus provides an additional pathway for ZF systems within Japan’s coach segment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ZF transmission is used in Hino’s new S’elega?
Hino’s new S’elega uses ZF’s latest-generation TraXon 2 Coach 12-speed automated manual transmission with an integrated Intarder hydrodynamic retarder. The system is the first Hino application of ZF’s TraXon 2 Coach solution and is intended to provide optimized gear selection, precise shifting, and wear-free auxiliary braking. The integrated retarder operates independently of engine speed and supports stable deceleration during long downhill sections and highway operation. ZF says it can reduce service-brake use by up to 90%, potentially extending service intervals while lowering maintenance costs and brake dust emissions.