A recent demonstration in the US showed the benefits of vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology.
The use of partially automated trucks is being touted as an effective means of reducing fuel bills and improving road safety.
A recent demonstration involving two trucks – one partially controlled by a computer – was held in the United States to show the benefits of using vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology.
MIT Technology Review reports the trucks were fitted with radar sensors, a wireless communication system to allow them to communicate with each other. The vehicles also had in-cab video screens to show the drivers’ blind spots.
A computer controlled the rear vehicle’s brakes and acceleration and, when instructed, it would travel within 10 metres of the lead vehicle and maintain the distance.
If the communication was disrupted or the lead truck slowed down or stopped, MIT Technology Review says the rear vehicle would brake instantly to avoid a collision.
The company behind the technology, Peloton Tech, told MIT Technology Review allowing trucks to travel close together reduced wind drag and could lead to fuel savings of $100,000 each year.
“For truck companies, these savings are enormous,” Peloton Tech CEO Joshua Switkes says.
He told MIT Technology Review the technology could improve safety because the video screens give drivers greater visibility and the radar sensors can apply a truck’s brakes.
MIT Technology Review says the technology, which was demonstrated on an interstate highway outside Nevada, can be used now because it falls under the same regulations governing adaptive cruise control.
There are trials of short-wave communication technology currently underway in Australia to aid heavy vehicle drivers and operators.
In New South Wales, the technology is being used to help truck drivers on the Newell Highway locate rest areas.
Drivers participating in the trial will be informed of where individual rest areas are located, the distance and estimated travel time to reach them and if there is any vacancy.
Furthermore, transceivers have also been fitted to trucks travelling on the busy south Sydney to Port Kembla road corridor to alert drivers of approaching dangers, such as accidents or conditions at intersections.