Skip to main content

Continental focuses on automated truck convoys

Technology company Continental is developing components and systems for the series launch of the electronic towbar, or platooning, using on an interoperable internet platform, which trucks from different manufacturers and fleet operators can use to form an electronic convoy on the freeway. Braking and sensor data are transmitted wirelessly from the lead vehicle to the following vehicles.
September 5, 2016 Read time: 2 mins

Technology company 260 Continental is developing components and systems for the series launch of the electronic towbar, or platooning, using on an interoperable internet platform, which trucks from different manufacturers and fleet operators can use to form an electronic convoy on the freeway. Braking and sensor data are transmitted wirelessly from the lead vehicle to the following vehicles.
 
Continental forecasts that it will be possible to initially reduce the distance between vehicles from 50 to15 metres at a speed of 80 km/h. Its development experts even predict that, in the long term, it will be technically possible to safely reduce this distance to only 10 metres.
 
Drivers in the convoy are supported by automated driving systems. As a first step, Continental is working on the technology for highly automated convoys comprising a lead truck being followed by one or two additional trucks using the electronic towbar.
 
According to Dr Michael Ruf, head of continental’s Commercial Vehicles and Aftermarket, platooning means that the truck, which is electronically coupled to the lead vehicle, consumes up to 15 per cent less fuel thanks to safe slipstreaming. Even the lead vehicle drives up to three percent more efficiently on account of the reduction in air turbulence, he says.
 
Continental believes that if only 50 per cent of the annual mileage of a truck, totalling 150,000 km, was driven in convoy, every coupled truck would be able to save 4,000 litres of diesel per year. One of these convoys would reduce annual fuel costs by over US$10,000 (€9,000) per year and enable the fleet operator to reduce its CO2 emissions by 24 kg per hour with a convoy of three trucks.

Related Content

  • May 23, 2012
    Civil engineers find fuel savings where the rubber meets the road
    A new study by civil engineers at MIT shows that using stiffer pavements on America’s roads could reduce vehicle fuel consumption by as much as three per cent, that could add up to 273 million barrels of crude oil per year, or US$15.6 billion at today’s oil prices. This would result in an accompanying annual decrease in CO2 emissions of 46.5 million metric tons.
  • September 12, 2012
    Preparations building for French national truck toll
    The Autostrade led Ecomouv consortium is developing the next big system of truck tolling likely to be introduced in Europe – France’s ‘Eco-tax’. Jon Masters reports. Since October last year, a consortium of companies has been working on developing the technological and administrative systems necessary for a national system of truck tolling in France. Eco-tax, France’s truck toll, is not necessarily going to be implemented. The Ecomouv consortium has been set up as a long term concessionaire, but so far only
  • May 26, 2017
    US university launches program to study safe integration of semi-autonomous trucks
    The Western Transportation Institute (WTI) at Montana State University is launching a program to study how to safely integrate driverless technology into the US trucking fleet. Similar to the driverless cars being developed by Google and others, self-driving trucks would use sophisticated computers and GPS technology to navigate roadways. Within a decade, the technology is likely to be applied in semi-autonomous truck convoys, or ‘platoons’, in which trucks equipped with self-driving technology would be pro
  • December 10, 2015
    New York City joins San Francisco and Oakland in greenhouse gas reduction
    In the light of the COP21 Paris Climate Conference, New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio has announced a major initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the city’s large fleet of light duty and heavy duty vehicles. To meet its goals, the initiative relies heavily on new technology diesel engines and bio-based diesel fuels. Following in the footsteps of San Francisco and Oakland, California, New York City is seeking to require the use of renewable diesel fuel. Earlier this year, San Francisco