Truck Platooning

January 25, 20210

Platooning method is not a new concept, but advanced trucks have made it viable. In a platoon two or more vehicles move in convoy with a very close distance. The lead truck controls the trailing vehicles through automated driving support systems.

A truck platoon is similar to a train’s compartment like arrangement but with physical disconnects. The truck at the head of the platoon acts as the leader, with the vehicles behind reacting and adapting to changes in its movement – requiring little to no action from drivers. If the lead truck’s collision mitigation system activates its brakes, other trucks slow down too.

Peloton Technology was the first company to test a commercial truck platooning system on public roads in the United States. It showed that platooning has many advantages including profitability and emissions reduction. According to researches platooning could reduce the CO2 emissions of the vehicles by up to 16 percent.

Some people say, that truck platooning can be used in the transportation industry only for driverless vehicles. Anyway, truck platooning holds great potential to make road transport safer, cleaner and more efficient in the not-so-distant future.

Share:

Related Articles