PLATOONING

connectivity, was in place and society was ready for it.

Wokil explained that pilot tests had been going on in closed areas, such as mines, airports, terminals, harbours and construction sites. There is the mining research project in Sweden, with trucks running driverless in the mine.

“Once it leaves the closed area, the driver will have to transport it manually. We do automation function to help increase productivity and to enhance the safety,” said Wokil.

Truck platooning is linking two or more trucks in a convoy, using connectivity technology and automated driving support systems. These trucks automatically maintain a close distance between each other when they are connected on the journey. If any vehicle cuts in the middle of the convoy, the system will automatically switch from Platoon mode to Adaptive Cruise Control mode.

Platooning has the potential to help fleet owners reduce the cost of transportation and fatigue from the drivers during long-distance driving. With a constant speed, it would lower the fuel consumption and CO2 emission.

Wokil said since 2008, truck companies had started to demonstrate and promote truck automation through platooning. In 2009, there was a project called Sartre (Safe Road Trains for the Environment), where Volvo cars and trucks did a demonstration in Spain between three cars and two trucks to show how the system works.

“Then, in 2016, we participated in the European Truck Platooning challenge, which is a single brand platoon. We were one of the many European OEMs who