Imagine seeing a convoy of trucks—3-to-6 sets of tractor-trailers—all controlled by the driver in the lead vehicle, all linked and operated by computer technology moving safely on the road. This is an example of autonomous truck platooning and its coming from Louisiana State University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Dr. Hany Hassan is heading up the program.
“When you have several trucks that are travelling together with very short headway distance between them, and they are communicating together through a computer system to control their speed, acceleration and braking.”
Federal Highway Administration, platooning reduces air drag, improves fuel economy, and also has the potential to increase vehicle capacity on the highways, particularly along freight corridors.
“We have tested this technology to make sure that what will be the impact on the traffic operation like we’re going to have some saving in the fuel consumption, what would be the impact of traffic operations.”
Hassan says the main object is identifying the optimum platoon size and configuration is important for the freight to maximize its benefits on highways.
“Some of research questions will be related on ‘what will be the optimum size of a platoon?’” He says. “Is it better to have three trucks connected to each other? Four or five? What will be the best spacing? Or the best headway between the trucks platooning.”
Drivers in a simulation lab will find out if platooning trucks will cause more accidents or reduce the number of accidents.
“So having a system like ATP can help truck companies to minimize driver error and reduce the chance of traffic accidents.”
