EU-Financed Research Team Sees Fuel-Savings Promise in 'Road Trains'
By Scott Doggett November 11, 2009
From the innovation folder comes a proposal by EU-financed researchers to group cars, buses and trucks in short "road trains" on Europe's motorways to conserve fuel.
The EU hopes to cut fuel consumption, journey times and congestion by linking up to eight vehicles together.
Early work on the idea suggests that fuel savings in the neighborhood of 20 percent could be achieved among those cars and trucks traveling behind a larger lead vehicle.
That vehicle would be operated by a professional driver who would monitor the status of the road train. Those in following vehicles could take their hands off the wheel, read a book or watch TV, while they travel along the motorway. Their vehicle would be controlled by the lead vehicle.
Funded under the European Commission's Framework 7 research plan, SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) is aimed at commuters in cars who travel long distances to work every day but will also look at ways to involve commercial vehicles.
Tom Robinson, project co-ordinator at engineering firm Ricardo, said the idea was to use off-the-shelf components to make it possible for cars, buses and trucks to join the road train.
"The goal is to try and introduce a step change in transport methods," he said. "We're looking at what it would take to get platooning on public highways without making big changes to the public highways themselves."
SARTRE will run for three years. The project partners are currently doing preliminary research to find out all the elements needed for a working system and the situations in which it might be used.
Towards the end of the research project trials will be held on test tracks in the UK, Spain and Sweden, Robinson said. There are also plans for public road trials in Spain, he said, adding that the first platoon will involve two trucks and three cars.
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