Semi-automated trucks are driven on
the E19 highway in Vilvoorde on April 5, 2016 as part of the 'EU Truck
Platooning Challenge'
Six
convoys of semi-automated "smart" trucks arrived in Rotterdam's
harbour Wednesday after an experiment its organizers say will revolutionize
future road transport on Europe's busy highways.
More
than a dozen self-driving trucks made by six of Europe's largest manufacturers
arrived in the port in so-called "truck platoons" around midday, said
Eric Jonnaert, president of the umbrella body representing DAF, Daimler, IVECO,
MAN, Scania and Volvo.
"Truck
platooning", similar to concepts with self-driving
cars, involves two or three trucks that autonomously drive in convoy
and are connected via wireless with the leading truck determining route and
speed.
Wednesday's
arrival concludes the first-ever cross-border experiment of its kind with
self-driving trucks which left home factories from as far away as Sweden and
southern Germany, Jonnaert told AFP.
"Truck
platooning will ensure cleaner and more efficient transport. Self-driving
vehicles also contribute to road safety because most accidents are caused by
human failure," said Dutch Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen.
For
instance, because the trucks are connected via wireless they brake at the same
time to always maintain the same distances between them, added the Dutch
infrastructure and environment ministry.
"The
advantage of truck platooning is that you have trucks driving at a consistent
speed," said Jonnaert, saying the concept will greatly aid traffic flow on
Europe's heavily congested roads.
The
trucks used in Wednesday's test however are still semi-automated and despite
computers allowing them to drive by themselves, human drivers were still
required on board.
The
proponents of truck platooning say several hurdles still need to be ironed out
and road users will not see self-driving trucks just yet.
Difficulties
include standardizing regulations across the continent to enable self-driving
convoys and designing systems that will enable communication between different trucks
from different manufacturers, Jonnaert said.
"This
is all part of a journey, which we are on as the automotive industry, towards
highly-automated vehicles," said Jonnaert.
The
Netherlands, which currently holds the revolving EU presidency, will hold an
informal summit mid-April to discuss changes to regulations needed to
"make self-driving transport a reality," Dutch officials said.
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