DAF Trucks will unite with research organisation TNO, technology company NXP and consultancy Ricardo in the upcoming European Truck Platooning Challenge.
The aim of the challenge is to convince governments to give permission for large-scale, international testing of truck combinations that are linked wirelessly (platooning).
DAF said that platooning enables ‘truck combinations to provide fuel economy benefits, lower CO2 emissions, increased safety and improved traffic flow. The emphasis at the event will be on autonomous acceleration and braking.
The challenge, organised by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, is set for Wednesday 6th April.
“It goes without saying that there is still a lot of continued development required before we can introduce platooning as a new technology on the market”, says Ron Borsboom, member of DAF Trucks’ board of management and responsible for product development. “This is definitely not a process that will be complete before 2020. There is still a great deal that has to be sorted out in terms of legislation, liability and acceptance.
“In conjunction with TNO, NXP and Ricardo, we will be demonstrating during the European Truck Platooning Challenge that truck platooning is technically possible. This demonstration should pave the way for truck manufacturers to be allowed to carry out further testing of the technology on public roads to acquire even more experience. It is now up to politicians to make this possible.”
