We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • ::COVID-19 COVERAGE::
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Volvo Trucks, FedEx test platooning truck technology
Forward Thinking

Volvo Trucks, FedEx test platooning truck technology

June 28, 2018
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
No Comments

Volvo Trucks North America and FedEx Corp. said yesterday they conducted a demonstration in North Carolina of on-highway truck platooning, the first such demonstration of the technology between a major truck manufacturer and a transportation company in the United States.

The platoon, which operated on N.C. Highway 540, also known as "the Triangle," consisted of three truck drivers in Volvo VNL tractors each pulling double 28-foot trailers. Through wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology, the tractors and trailers remained in constant communication. The vehicles traveled at speeds of up to 62 mph while keeping a time gap of 1.5 seconds, maintaining a closer distance than what is typical for on-highway tractors. Staged and unplanned vehicle cut-ins demonstrated how the technology handles common traffic situations.

Platooning links two or more trucks in a convoy using connectivity technology and automated driving support systems. The vehicles automatically maintain a set, close distance between each other when connected for certain parts of a journey.

"Volvo's V2V technology is based on dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), which has proven its capability to perform well in the V2V environment," said Keith Brandis, Volvo Trucks North America's vice president for product planning, in a statement.

Since April, three Volvo Trucks' VNL tractors have been paired with various combinations of FedEx trailers to simulate real-world routes and trailer loads while traveling on N.C. 540. The potential benefits of platooning that are being studied during this collaborative research include faster responses to hard braking while maintaining safety and fuel efficiency, the manufacturer said.

The vehicle-to-vehicle communication system helps reduce the reaction time for braking and enables vehicles to follow one another more closely, automatically matching each other's speed and braking. The advanced technology is meant to serve as an aid, and not a replacement, for professional truck drivers, Volvo Trucks said.

When trucks can drive closely behind one another, fuel efficiency is improved as a result of reduced drag. Drag accounts for up to 25 percent of a truck's total fuel consumption, and the closer the trucks drive to each other the greater the fuel-saving potential. Reducing the traveling distance between vehicles also allows for greater highway utilization, helping alleviate traffic congestion.

N.C. 540, which is near Volvo Trucks' North American headquarters, is one of 10 locations nationwide designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation for demonstrating advanced vehicle technologies like platooning.

Logistics Technology
  • Related Articles

    AI, robotics expert says logistics sector needs to push hard for truck platooning

    Outrider builds Colorado warehouse to test its automated yard trucks

    Dachser launches test operations with Mercedes-Benz eActros, an all-electric 18-ton truck

Recent Articles by Supply Chain Quarterly Staff

BrightDrop delivers 150 electric parcel vans to FedEx network

Survey: 90% of procurement leaders will tweak operating models to cope with economic outlook

J.B. Hunt trials self-driving trucks in Texas pilot

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • How to resolve your inventory dilemma

  • Container prices continue to drop

  • Regionalized supply chains: the key to resilience

  • Warehouse vacancy rates sink to 27-year low

  • Empty shipping containers stack up at U.S. port depots

Featured Video

Cccb7d13 710a 4473 8132 da8b6cc286f1

The Sportsman's Guide Case study: Increasing Accuracy & Productivity

Viewer Contributed
Thanks to the Lucas Warehouse Optimization Suite, The Sportsman's Guide has increased productivity, reduced training time, and experienced a boost in accuracy for both full-time staff and seasonal employees. Want to learn how Lucas can help your DC be more efficient, accurate, and safe while reducing labor costs?...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Case Study: Peak Teams helps boost headcount quickly on a short-term project

  • Breaking Bad: Conducting Full Truckload RFPs in the Age of Digital Freight Procurement

  • Omnitracs One – Last Mile Solutions

  • The enterprise shipper's guide to building a smarter truckload RFP

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2022. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing