Swedish truck manufacturer Scania and a Dutch logistics organisation have performed a first test with partly autonomously driving trucks on the Dutch public highway. During the test three Scania trucks were driving in convoy.
The three trucks departed from a Scania factory and drove a route over the highway. On the highway the trucks tested platooning, meaning the trucks were connected and drove on a fixed distance from each other. When platooning it also means that as soon as the first truck breaks, the other two trucks do the same. The trucks will increase the distance when another car joins in, and lower the distance when the car leaves their lane.
In the future, drivers should be able to decide whether they want to join a platooning convoy. A benefit of platooning is that the trucks are able to drive closer to each other which keeps the other trucks out of the wind, lowering fuel consumption. Platooning should also prevent traffic jams and should increase safety.
The Dutch government had given permission for the test, since the end of January these kind of tests are allowed on the public road. The Dutch government has received four more applications for tests both with trucks and cars.
