Drivers can take their break while the remote update continues. (Mac Truck)
key takeaways:
- Mack Trucks plans to launch Lock & Leave by fall 2026, allowing eligible over-the-air software updates to be performed without the driver in the truck.
- The feature aims to maximize fleet uptime as connected trucks become more sophisticated and remote software updates become a standard capability.
- Pending final verification, Lock & Leave will first launch on Pioneer, Anthem, Granite, and Keystone models as part of the Mac’s AutoSend deployment suite.
Mack Trucks plans to enhance over-the-air software updates by enabling drivers to complete modifications even when there is no human in the truck.
Volvo Group division MAC’s Lock & Leave enhancements aim to maximize uptime by allowing drivers to take breaks while remote updates are in progress. The company said the update could also be done overnight or at the end of a shift under development.
Lock and Leave is scheduled to be available from 2026 onwards, pending final verification. It will first be introduced on new or modified models of Mac – Pioneer, Anthem, Granite and Keystone.
As tractors become more sophisticated, remote software updates are becoming more standard and the ability to maximize fleet uptime through advances becomes a major selling point, especially on new or redesigned models.
Mack is in the process of redesigning its entire heavy-duty on-highway and vocational truck portfolio. The overhaul is expected to be completed in 2027.
The refresh includes the launch of the Pioneer and Keystone models as well as improvements for the Anthem and Granite.
Lock & Leave will first roll out to Pioneer, Anthem, Granite, and Keystone models of Macs. (Mac Truck)
Mack’s ambitions for trucks are part of Volvo Group’s plan to win a 25% share of the North American heavy-duty truck market by 2030. According to Omdia Automotive, Volvo Trucks North America will achieve a 9.1% share of US Class 8 retail sales in 2025, while Mack will have an 8.7% share.
Lock & Leave is part of the AutoSend automated software deployment suite. When a driver initiates a qualifying software update through Driver Display Activation, he or she can exit the truck, lock it, and leave. The vehicle only waits until the update is installed, then turns off automatically.
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Mac customers began receiving remote software updates for their vehicles as standard in March 2025. Autosend is part of the MAC Over the Air service. Over the Air was introduced in 2017.
“Mack customers measure success by how much time their trucks spend on the road,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “Lock and Leave remote removes another barrier to software updates. Drivers can initiate an update, go about their day, and let the truck do the rest.”
In June, VTNA announced a similar plan to increase over-the-air software updates for unattended VNL and VNR models in 2026. It introduced remote software updates through its Volvo Connect portal in 2025.
