In early April a series of convoys of smart lorries left various countries to head to Rotter-dam, as part of the Truck Platooning Challenge: Europe’s first cross-border test of semi-autonomous trucks.
Truck platooning – where two or more vehicles drive in convoy, with the first vehicle con-trolling direction and speed – has been proven to have many benefits. Exploiting the slip-stream of the lead vehicle can decrease fuel use by 5-15%; road safety can be improved be-cause trucks break with zero reaction times; and traffic flows can be improved by creating more space on the roads. Platooning also offers a realistic chance to optimise the labour market, logistics and the road haulage industry.
The platooning challenge, organised by the Netherlands as part of its presidency of the Council of the European Union, aimed to demonstrate the advantages of the practice to promote collaboration between member states and industry, and to bring its introduction a step closer.
All of the main European truck manufacturers – DAF, Daimler, Iveco, MAN, Scania and Volvo – took part in the initiative. Their platoons departed from their home bases or production locations: Scania’s left from Södertälje in Sweden, Volvo’s started from Gothenburg, Daimler’s de-parted from Stuttgart, and MAN’s from Munich. Meanwhile, Iveco’s platoon commenced its journey in Brussels and DAF’s left from its production location in Westerlo, Belgium.
There is a real belief in industry that platooning can become a reality in Europe by 2020 and that the hurdles in the way of that goal are not technical but legislative.
Dirk-Jan de Bruijn, programme director of the platooning challenge, explains: “We used the challenge to show Europe how serious we are – that we are working hard to truly enable automated driving on open roads. I am convinced that this challenge is the next step on the way to make truck platooning routine in the near future.”
Trucks used in platoons are equipped with radar, cameras and GPS, with enhanced safety systems such as cooperative adaptive cruise control and advanced emergency braking. The trucks are linked by wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication, which reduces their response times to almost zero, allowing them to drive very close together.
Robust communications
One such system is EcoTwin, which has been developed by a consortium. The core of the EcoTwin technology is a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications solution, RoadLink, developed by semiconductor company NXP. It uses the wireless communications standard IEEE 802.11p combined with NXP radar technology to enable the trucks within the platoon to securely exchange information in real time and automatically brake and accelerate in response to the leading vehicle.
The high speed of communication and responsiveness of NXP RoadLink allows extremely tight distances between the vehicles and synchronous driving.
The RoadLink system is built into the mirrors of the DAF vehicles. It also provides realtime video and bidirectional audio communication between the trucks. The audio allows the drivers to talk to each other without relying on other communication channels. In addition, the V2V powered camera in the lead truck streams what it films to the driver in the trailing truck, providing a clear look at the road ahead.
Consortium member TNO supplied the software for the technologies and Ricardo provided ad-vice about functional safety.
All of the truck manufacturers and their partners branded the platooning challenge a success. Volvo’s project manager Anders Kellstrom says: “It has been fantastic to see people’s reactions. In Denmark, families were sitting with picnics along the side of the road to see us drive by.
“We drove in a convoy for over 1,500km and it was a great experience, not just about the technology, but also about the traffic environment. Everything went totally according to plan, which is a great feeling.”
Harrie Schippers, president of DAF Trucks, says: “We believe that the Truck Platooning Challenge has fostered much-needed cooperation between all relevant stakeholders right across the EU, facilitating cross-border driving, and encouraging compatibility on legal and technical issues. We look forward to harvesting the learning from this initiative so that, together, we can make truck platoons a common sight.”
Days after the challenge ended, European policy makers signed the Declaration of Amsterdam, the first agreement among all parties about how the technology can be deployed. Transport ministers from countries across the EU, the European Commission and the auto-motive manufacturers’ association ACEA agreed to harmonise standards on vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure technology.
The move means that the technologies for smarter mobility will be easier to explore and test as regulations should be similar from country to country.
Dutch infrastructure minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen says: “For the first time, we have talked at the European political level about self-driving vehicles and the measures required for their introduction.
“We want to pick up the pace because there are many gains to be made for mobility. Connected and automated vehicles will make our roads safer, more sustainable and more efficient.”
NXP welcomed the deal, but called on the regulators to do more. Maurice Geraets, NXP board member, says: “Harmonising the standards for smart mobility is an important step. This public show of support of new technologies by European governments will encourage the industry to invest.
“The US is about to take a bold step as they have announced plans for making vehicle-to-everything mandatory for new vehicles from 2019. If Europe could also combine forces to make such a step, our roads could look much different in the future – safer, greener and without traffic jams.”
Need for common standards
A vision of the future of platooning was recently issued by 15 stakeholders from the Euro-pean Truck Platooning Challenge network, including manufacturers, knowledge institutions, logistics service providers, policy-makers, road authorities, industry representatives and insurers.
The vision concluded that technology needs to be further developed and optimised to en-sure steady and safe wireless connections between vehicles. Standardising the communication will enable trucks from different manufacturers to form platoons. Safe interaction with other vehicles is also important. Thanks to traffic prediction and dynamic gap distance, the platoon will be able to adjust to traffic and weather conditions.
The vision statement said that the amount of roads where platooning is permitted will have to be significantly expanded, beginning with national motorways and Ten-T corridors, utilising IT infrastructure – sections of highways with connecting services enabling electronic communication between vehicle and infrastructure – where possible.
The logistics and operational aspects will need to be properly regulated: a platooning service provider will be responsible for certification and act as the central coordinator for the truck platoons. This will allow other trucks to join the platoon.
Did you know? Platoons head for UK roads
Later this year the first platoons will be tested on UK roads after chancellor George Osborne announced plans in the recent budget to roll out driverless haulage technology by the end of the decade.
Following the platooning challenge, Unilever and Dutch supermarket Albert Heijn said they wanted to trial the technology.