The EU-financed SARTRE* project has carried out the first successful demonstration of its technology at the Volvo Proving Ground close to Gothenburg, Sweden.

Platooning may be the new way of travelling on motorways in as little as ten years’ time. The EU-financed SARTRE* project has carried out the first successful demonstration of its technology at the Volvo Proving Ground close to Gothenburg, Sweden.  Could this be the way your vehicles move up and down our motorways in the future?

Vehicle platooning, as envisaged by the SARTRE project, is a convoy of vehicles where a professional driver in a lead vehicle is closely followed by several cars. Each car measures the distance, speed and direction and adjusts to the car in front. All the vehicles are totally detached from one another and can leave the procession at any time. However, once in the platoon, drivers can relax and do other things while the platoon proceeds towards its long-haul destination.

"SARTRE is a very exciting project with future potential for saving fuel and improving traffic safety," said Carl Johan Almqvist, Traffic and Product Safety Director at Volvo Trucks.

The tests carried out included a lead truck and a single following car, which smoothly followed the lead vehicle around the country road test track.  This is the first time the EU-financed development teams in SARTRE tried their systems together outside the simulators.

"This is a major milestone for this important European research programme," said Ricardo UK Ltd's Tom Robinson, SARTRE Project Coordinator. "Platooning offers the prospect of improved road safety, better road space utilisation, improved driver comfort on long journeys as well as reduced fuel consumption and hence lower CO₂ emissions. With the combined skills of its participating companies, SARTRE is making tangible progress towards the realisation of safe and effective road train technology."

Platooning is designed to improve a number of things: Firstly road safety, since it minimises the human factor that is the cause of at least 80% of all road accidents. Secondly, it cuts fuel consumption and thus CO₂ emissions by up to 20%. It is also convenient for drivers in following cars because it frees up time for them to do other things than driving, and since the vehicles travel at motorway speed with a gap of only a few metres, platooning may also relieve traffic congestion.

The technology development is well under way and can probably go into production in a few years' time. What may take substantially longer are the public's acceptance and the necessary legislation, since 25 EU governments must pass similar laws.

The Volvo Truck Corporation is involved in the SARTRE project via Volvo Technology Corporation, a business unit of the Volvo Group that develops new technology and new concepts. The lead vehicle in the tests carried out was a Volvo truck.

"A professional, well-trained driver leading the road train is an important factor to ensure safety in the project," said Erik Nordin at Volvo Technology.  In addition, the professional Volvo truck driver was supported by state-of-the-art safety technology such as the alcolock, driver alert support, forward collision warning and electronic stability programs that enhance driver attention and minimise accidents. 

What is SARTRE?  SARTRE stands for Safe Road Trains for the Environment and is part-funded by the European Commission under the Framework 7 programme.  SARTRE is led by Ricardo UK Ltd and comprises collaboration between the following additional participating companies: Applus Idiada and Robotiker-Tecnalia of Spain, Institut für Kraftfahrwesen Aachen (IKA) of Germany, and SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Volvo Car Corporation and Volvo Technology of Sweden.