EU to test fuel-saving "Road Trains"

[charlie]

Sort of a hi-tech version of the old trucker's convoy.

The lead vehicle would be handled by a professional driver who would monitor the status of the road train. Those in following vehicles could take their hands off the wheel, read a book or watch TV, while they travel along the motorway. Their vehicle would be controlled by the lead vehicle.

Funded under the European Commission's Framework 7 research plan, Sartre (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) is aimed at commuters in cars who travel long distances to work every day but will also look at ways to involve commercial vehicles.

Tom Robinson, project co-ordinator at engineering firm Ricardo, said the idea was to use off-the-shelf components to make it possible for cars, buses and trucks to join the road train.
...

"We're looking at what it would take to get platooning on public highways without making big changes to the public highways themselves," said Mr Robinson.

A system that involved wiring up motorways with sensors to help control the road trains would be prohibitively expensive, he said.







http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8349923.stm

[comtec]

1. GREAT,,,,, except there are very few 3+ lane freeways in Europe

Even in Germany I've only run across 2/4 lane freeways as the norm.
And I don't know how comfortable I would be with the left lane being used in this way.

but.. who knows...

[Odin2005]

2. That is AWESOME!

[pampango]

3. Kudos to them. My first thought was "that kind of innovation can never work".

My second thought was "how old am I getting to be. I'm sounding more and more like my father and grandfather." Every new idea is a bad idea.

It is great that they are thinking outside the box. This concept may work or it may not, but it is a good sign that they are thinking innovatively