NOVACAB: Scania Tests Platooning In Norway With Ahola Transport

Thursday 23 August 2018

Scania Tests Platooning In Norway With Ahola Transport

Scania is collaborating with Finnish truck operation Ahola Transportation to test platooning in the Polar circle. (Picture thanks to Scania.)

Scania is forming a collaboration with Ahola Transport to test truck platooning innovation approximately 300 kilometers north of the Polar circle in Norway. The test is designed to identify how platooning will operate in wintery conditions on public roads with three or more trucks in development. The 2 organisations are also interacting to produce brand new technologies designed particularly for driver help.

Platooning utilizes a series of driver support and autonomous driving innovations to connect 3 or more trucks together for simultaneous braking and more. (Image courtesy of Scania.)

“The test in Norway marks the start of a series of Scania and Ahola trials,” said Christian Bergstrand, project manager at Scania, in a press release. “With 3 trucks now completely equipped for platooning, Ahola will evaluate how they suit their operations. This will provide valuable experience in the additional advancement of platooning.”

How Platooning Works

Platooning utilizes different chauffeur help and connection services to connect numerous trucks together in a convoy. The motorist of the lead truck decidings about when to change lanes or when to brake or accelerate, and the trucks behind it instantly respond to those movements and follow in kind.

This innovation is still in its early stages, which is why several and different types of tests are necessary, but Scania does have a general four-step procedure for the best ways to accomplish genuinely autonomous platooning. The very first is to have chauffeurs run their trucks as they normally would but drive within about 40 meters of each other. The 2nd is to present the idea of synchronised braking with a wireless connection between trucks and to minimize distance to 20 meters.

Step 3 is semi-autonomous trucking, where drivers in the following vehicles can really rest or sleep, and step 4 is completely autonomous where there may not have to be drivers in the following trucks at all. In the last 2 actions, the area in between vehicles is minimized down to 10 meters.

The test will assist figure out how well the platooning concept holds up in wintery conditions on public roadways in Norway. (Image thanks to Scania.)

Source:

Scania