The idea of self-driving vehicles has been getting increasing attention on several fronts. Google's self-driving car is perhaps the most widely publicized example, but other options are under development at various stages. Volvo is working on a different approach, with cars that are not completely autonomous, but that can safely follow others in a close formation known as a road train.
In a road train, vehicles equipped with wireless connectivity and control equipment will be able to follow other vehicles in close formation, with a lead vehicle being driven by a human driver. Computers and sensors will monitor the convoy, and automatically follow the lead vehicle with safe clearances. Once a vehicle is part of a road train, the driver can can switch their attention to other things.
Road trains would offer a number of benefits that are beneficial to the environment as well as to drivers.
Fuel mileage will improve, as vehicles stay at the same speed (acceleration reduces efficiency). Cars can safely drive more closely to one another, and will benefit from lowered wind resistance. With groups of cars moving at predictable speeds, congestion will improve. And the stress of the daily commute will be alleviated, with time in the car to read or relax.
The Volvo system has been undergoing testing for the past several years. A video presentation from Volvo shows vehicles operating on a test track to demonstrate the workings of this system.
Hat tip to: Jaymi Heimbuch
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Comments (17)
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written by KM, December 11, 2012
I'm pretty sure google's system is this (self-driving cars communicating with each other for more reliable results) plus programs for other interactions involving city streets and with other user-controlled cars. This Volvo bit is the easy part.
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written by Cathie, December 12, 2012
This is incredible and interesting. I can see how it would reduce emissions by having all the cars together and not varying their speeds. Yet what happens if someone has to go to the bathroom or stop for lunch? Could you get off the road train easily? Lol.
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written by Brian Bell, December 16, 2012
It seems like if one reckless driver moved into their space it would cause a multiple car pile-up.
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written by Bob, December 17, 2012
Why would anyone on the freeway want to sit behind a slow moving heavy vehicle. What happens if the train gets stuck behind an even slower vehicle, the train length would mean that it would have almost no chance of moving to another lane to overtake.
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written by carol, December 17, 2012
Being a Google car, it would only be using 35% of its CPU resources to managing the car, the remaining resources would be used serving up advertisements and stealing the identities of your passengers.
Volvo on the other hand, are a respectable company with a long history and culture of road safety innovation.
Google? Just say no.
Volvo on the other hand, are a respectable company with a long history and culture of road safety innovation.
Google? Just say no.
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written by Webbing, December 19, 2012
I know this car train seems strange but sooner than we think all freeways might be like this. You'd program your car to go to a certain destination from the onramp and then join a "train" of cars that would be on automatic and spaced equally and going the same speed. And then you could request to get off. It'd probably reduce traffic deaths by alot actually because the unsafe drivers and speeders would have no control.
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written by Antoine, December 19, 2012
Instead of making it as convenient as a train to ride, maybe we should just build more trains and infrastructures for car renting.
Public transportation is the future, not individual.
Public transportation is the future, not individual.
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written by Mark, December 29, 2012
The US might be better served to re-establish a functioning rail system using the same intent that build the national highway system across the US starting in the 1950's. I love the freedom of my car as much as the next American but Europe and Asia have managed very well with a serious rail system for cargo and personal transport. The greatest obstacle will be right-of-way's that reverted to the public and have been filled with urban development. I am sickened to observe that the love of the personal transport is leading to the paving of America.
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written by Philosopherott, January 02, 2013
1) This seems incredibly flawed. One deer in the road and you have a massive pile up.
2) Volvo being a trusted company, yeah they only gave them selves awesome safety ratings for about 2 decades. Not saying they are not safe but why not submit to outside testing for your advertised safety ratings before it became mandatory.
3) While I like trains in Europe, studies prove that most mid size sedans are more fuel efficient than most trains per passenger; meaning it takes more fuel/energy per person for a train than a mid sized car. Imagine if you had a smart diesel or hybrid and carpooled you would kick a trains but.
I love the idea of having a car automatically draft a bus or truck for fuel savings and automation but I think a lot more studying needs to be done and a slight revamp of our highway infrastructure.
2) Volvo being a trusted company, yeah they only gave them selves awesome safety ratings for about 2 decades. Not saying they are not safe but why not submit to outside testing for your advertised safety ratings before it became mandatory.
3) While I like trains in Europe, studies prove that most mid size sedans are more fuel efficient than most trains per passenger; meaning it takes more fuel/energy per person for a train than a mid sized car. Imagine if you had a smart diesel or hybrid and carpooled you would kick a trains but.
I love the idea of having a car automatically draft a bus or truck for fuel savings and automation but I think a lot more studying needs to be done and a slight revamp of our highway infrastructure.
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written by Data management, January 04, 2013
I share the same set of thought as mentioned by Bob in the series of comments that why would even just say back and concentrate on other work in a slow moving car.
Instead, the driver would definitely want to reach his destination ASAP and would not be interested in formating some road train.
Instead, the driver would definitely want to reach his destination ASAP and would not be interested in formating some road train.
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written by shuttles to lax, January 15, 2013
I would really love to have this feature in a car to be able to at least multi task while driving.
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written by Cthulhu, January 21, 2013
Benefits are undoubtly great, I mean, it could bring some incredible order to the roads
Negatives are that this can be seen as a form of oppresion, and just imagine the criminal possiblities. Aside from satellite tracking, anything can be hacked. Imagine sitting there in your car, when suddenlly you take an unexpected course into a steep ditch. Just sayin'. I say, the benefits are too great and too easy to manipulate. There will always be somebody good enough to manipulate whatever technology is out there. Hence, crime.
Though I disagree with the problem of the pileups. Say the front vehicle was infact subjected to some kind of accident, like a crash, assuming the following cars are travelling at a safe distance, wouldn't the lead vehicle stopping cause following vehicles to stop behind it? Or else travelling through traffic lights and turning corners could be an issue. I'm not exactly the physics 'spert here(and I only scanned the above article and comments), but that would be my guess.
Also, things like these are unnessesary, and support two extremes of common human behaviour: 1. laziness and 2. whatever you call being too busy.
Both can lead to serious physical and mental health issues.
I do not believe this kind of technology to be suitable for the roads, but I'm certain it can be useful in other areas.
[opinions]
Negatives are that this can be seen as a form of oppresion, and just imagine the criminal possiblities. Aside from satellite tracking, anything can be hacked. Imagine sitting there in your car, when suddenlly you take an unexpected course into a steep ditch. Just sayin'. I say, the benefits are too great and too easy to manipulate. There will always be somebody good enough to manipulate whatever technology is out there. Hence, crime.
Though I disagree with the problem of the pileups. Say the front vehicle was infact subjected to some kind of accident, like a crash, assuming the following cars are travelling at a safe distance, wouldn't the lead vehicle stopping cause following vehicles to stop behind it? Or else travelling through traffic lights and turning corners could be an issue. I'm not exactly the physics 'spert here(and I only scanned the above article and comments), but that would be my guess.
Also, things like these are unnessesary, and support two extremes of common human behaviour: 1. laziness and 2. whatever you call being too busy.
Both can lead to serious physical and mental health issues.
I do not believe this kind of technology to be suitable for the roads, but I'm certain it can be useful in other areas.
[opinions]
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written by Rinkesh, January 23, 2013
Sounds very very interesting to me 
. Thing of the future.
. Thing of the future.
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written by bluetoes591, January 25, 2013
This seems flawed to me. Now you have a string of people all at the mercy of the driving abilities of the driver of the lead vehicle. Experience on the road tells me that I can't trust anybody else driving a vehicle to do the expected or safe thing ever, so why would I trust them under these circumstances?
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written by Tom Simpson, February 01, 2013
Forget trying to make cars eco-friendly, and forget only talking about fuel efficiency while ignoring all the other environmental and social problems caused by cars i.e. habitat destruction, sprawl, etc. This is so 1950's?jetsons. Trains, public transit, and bicycles are the future.
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written by Jones Edward, May 16, 2013
Various automobile industries are trying to develop their techniques and approaching on inventing advanced automobile techniques. As a result self driving concept was born and it delivers positive driving experience to avoid accidents. Therefore instead of wasting our time to find a personal injury lawyer whom are liable to pay back a positive compensation for our losses why not we take advanced precautions through these self driving concept.
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