CHAUFFEUR II Moving Forward
IVsource.net
31 August 2000

A brief update on the latest in CHAUFFEUR II, the project that's implementing heavy truck platooning in Europe.
 
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One of the most advanced vehicle-highway automation projects worldwide, CHAUFFEUR, is developing truck platooning capability for commercial freight movement.  The program, funded largely by the European Commission, is led by DaimlerChrysler; the lengthy roster of partners includes Renault Research, Renault Trucks, and Italian truck manufacturer IVACO.   The multiyear CHAUFFEUR I program was completed in 1999 and culminated with demonstrations of a manually-driven truck followed by a truck in automated mode at close headways on public highways in Germany (see Summer 1999 article). 

According to Matthias Shulze, project manager at DaimlerChrysler, CHAUFFEUR II has been underway since January, with current activities focusing on specifying functions, systems, and components, and doing some preliminary evaluation work.  Renault Recherche and Renault Vehicle Industriale are new partners, joining the team for CHAUFFEUR II.  The key aim in this second phase is to realize a truck platoon -- multiple full-size trucks following one another at close headway, with only the lead truck driven by a human.  More specifically, three approaches will be implemented:

  • CHAUFFEUR Assistant:  An electronic towbar based driver assistant system, that allows trucks to follow any other vehicle at a safe distance, with the driver fully responsible for vehicle operation and safety
  • Electronic Tow Bar:   New partners will develop additional demonstration vehicles capable of the fully automated electronic tow bar operation presented by DC in CHAUFFEUR I 
  • CHAUFFEUR Platooning:   three trucks will be electronically coupled trucks in a platooning mode (to be implemented only by DaimlerChrysler)
European Union funding for this work is at the level of 5M Euro.   As highways are becoming increasingly crowded in Europe, with freight shipments increasing and little new road construction in sight, public funding is motivated by the smoother highway traffic flow and greater capacity that can be enabled with truck platoons.  Private fleet owners are expected to benefit in terms of significant fuel savings due to the close headway operations, with the potential for significant savings in labor costs in the far future, when trucks are actually operating in an unmanned follower mode for regular commercial service.
 

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For more information ...

... contact Matthias Shulze, CHAUFFEUR project manager, at matthias.m.schulze@daimlerchrysler.com.
 

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