Multi-Vehicle Road Train Project Enters Implementation Phase

[ThaFlash]

Article Here

SARTRE multi-vehicle road train project enters implementation phase
By Darren Quick
19:09 December 13, 2010



The SARTRE project aims to automate slipstreaming of multiple vehicles on the highway

European SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) project, which is developing technology to automate slipstreaming of multiple vehicles on highways, is now a year into its three-year program. The first year has been spent ironing out the concept and investigating the requirements of a prototype system, as well as how people will react to using it. Now the program is set to enter the implementation phase, starting with the testing of a single lead and following vehicle.




The benefits of slipstreaming or drafting in reducing fuel consumption (and therefore CO2 emissions) are well known and the technique is already widely used in bike and car racing. The team says exploiting the resultant lower air drag would allow vehicles to achieve energy savings in the region of 20 percent. But that’s only one of the benefits that the project hopes to bring to drivers.



The SARTRE team says a system that enables vehicles to automatically follow a lead vehicle driven by a trained driver would also reduce accidents, improve traffic flow and free drivers from the monotonous task of highway driving, thereby allowing them to catch up on some reading, watch a movie or get some work done on a laptop. When they are approaching their destination, the driver takes control of their vehicle and leaves the convoy, with the remaining vehicles closing the gap as the road-train continues on its way.

The technology could also be used in that most frustrating of low speed situations – the traffic jam – to allow vehicles to follow the vehicle in front until the congestion clears.

With the project aiming to carry out the first development tests of a single lead and following vehicle before the end of 2010, the installation of the necessary hardware and software into the two vehicles has already commenced. This includes a navigation system, a transmitter/receiver system that communicates with the lead vehicle and technology that can take control of braking, acceleration and steering. Since the systems are built into the cars, no need to add any additional infrastructure to existing roads.



Additionally, as shown in a short documentary film [YouTube Doco Here] produced by SARTRE (below), the technology has been tested in a road train simulator. One of the goals of the simulator tests has been to see how people react to tailgating a car traveling at speeds of 90 km/h (56 mph) without actually controlling the car. While some people were found to completely trust the system, others are understandably a little more wary.

The SARTRE project aims to carry out the first single lead and single following vehicle tests before the end of December, 2010, with the goal of demonstrating a five-vehicle road train that can handle interactions with other road users to be carried out in 2011 and early 2012. However, the team admits that, even if all the technology required for the system is validated, it will probably take ten years or more before such rolling road trains become a reality on our highways.

[Jim Goose]

Great idea... except when the lead vehicle slams on the breaks to avoid a collision?

Not to mention the insurance woes.... does the lead vehicle accept all liability???

[vanman_75]

he falls asleep and drives off a bridge hmmm no thanks

[TheInterceptor]

Installing unknown electrics into my vehicle to be externally controlled? no bloody way...no way ill trust some greenie govornment crap.

[AndrewR_AUII]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Great idea... except when the lead vehicle slams on the breaks to avoid a collision?

Not to mention the insurance woes.... does the lead vehicle accept all liability???

Presumably then ALL vehicles would slam on their brakes.
And the front vehicle swerves to avoid something...

What if one of the vehicles loses traction... following drivers won't be alert.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

Installing unknown electrics into my vehicle to be externally controlled? no bloody way...no way ill trust some greenie govornment crap.

Er Greenie gov crap??? uh huh riiite

Originally Posted by AndrewR_AUII

Presumably then ALL vehicles would slam on their brakes.
And the front vehicle swerves to avoid something...

What if one of the vehicles loses traction... following drivers won't be alert.

Yes but that would mean each car be EXACTLY the same, as having different cars means different braking abilities... even then, if all the cars were equal, they would have still compute their own braking to allow for different weights etc...

And how would u garantee that each vehicle was maintained to the same standard ?

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Er Greenie gov crap??? uh huh riiite

Would you be fussed over how much CO2 your car produces?? CO2 helps keep the globe out of an ice age...plenty of proof pollution from cars isn't much of a factor in "climate change".. iirc cows produce more CO2.
...

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

Would you be fussed over how much CO2 your car produces?? CO2 helps keep the globe out of an ice age...plenty of proof pollution from cars isn't much of a factor in "climate change".. iirc cows produce more CO2.
...

There is a whole thread dedicated to climate change....

So far everyone on here has responded about the concept... and companies world wide are out to develop ways to save petrol, emissions etc.... are you saying all these companies are all whacko greenies? Please lets turn this into a politics debate and get the thread locked...

[Streets]

I couldn't really give two shits about the environment aspect, but computer-driven cars have the potential to be awesome. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing better than driving a car; it should definitely be a skill that is preserved, and any "autopilot" system should be able to be immediately overridden by the driver -- but wouldn't a car driving itself just be plain cool? I guess I'm speaking as more of a sci-fi nerd here though...

[TheInterceptor]

I will let it be goose, lets go back on topic.

[Scott]

So Lexus went to the global press with a car that could park itself.... but it failed miserably. Then Volvo went to global press with its collision avoidance system.... but it failed miserably.

Now this crowd want me to watch a movie on my laptop which means I'd likely fall asleep and take a nap... well if I'm going to lie down anyway I may aswell jump in the backseat and have a shag, then have a sleep. Seeing as I'm already back there, I wonder if I can find that bloody squeek that's keeping me awake.

Ahh, there it is, I'll just climb into the boot and grab my screw driver.......

Yeh, I'd trust them

[Halfmo Rocks]

i want to be able to trust computer crap to get me where i'm going, but i just can't. no matter how much $$$ i had, i would never buy the first 1...or even the 2nd. buy the 3rd generation, maybe

[ThaFlash]

what about that merc on top gear that slowed down on it's own in the freeway rememebr that episode, all the details escape me know.

[FPV8U]

I'll pass thanks..

assuming we are allowed to pass it up in the future.

[woteva]

Great way to suck all the fun out of driving.

[GasoLane]

Geez. Is it April 1st already?

[Halfmo Rocks]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Geez. Is it April 1st already?

[AC/DC]

Sounds like a great idea for the not so far future..........

[Full Noise]

Just to save this thread from going off topic, I thought that I’d put up a pic of a REAL road train, not some Nancy boy poofter ansie pansy computer crap from Europe.

[benoxr]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Geez. Is it April 1st already?

Lemmings - who wants to be one?

[Halfmo Rocks]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

Just to save this thread from going off topic, I thought that I’d put up a pic of a REAL road train, not some Nancy boy poofter ansie pansy computer crap from Europe.

what, did he leave his tampon in...this is a road train

[benoxr]

what, did he leave his tampon in...this is a road train

oh oh, its gonna be on here...

[MO]

@Adam Rocks that road train only hangs around the mine and the rail around Cloncurry doesn't.
Whereas Full Noise road train goes a hell of a lot further,besides at least with the triple you could get 6 cars per trailer. lol

[prydey]

Originally Posted by benoxr

oh oh, its gonna be on here...

at least this one has a REAL prime mover

[flappist]

Originally Posted by benoxr

Lemmings - who wants to be one?

Lemming forum

[MO]

Originally Posted by flappist

Lemming forum

Aaarrgghhhh my eyes ,my eyes..........

[AndrewR_AUII]

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11320350

What would have happened if you were watching a movie on your Laptop or iSheep ??

[DJR-351]

Working on your laptop? reading the newspaper? catching a few zzzzs?
phfft! go on any freeway here and you will see we are doing it already, who needs a "Road Train"....

[MO]

Originally Posted by AndrewR_AUII

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11320350

What would have happened if you were watching a movie on your Laptop or iSheep ??

Umm whats this got to do with road trains. That link is to Geckos close call thread??

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by prydey

at least this one has a REAL prime mover

Since when have macks been real trucks?? Was that before or after Volvo bought them!