Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 14
FOLLOW THE LEADER
Truck platoons can save fuel and combat a rising shortage of drivers
BY SEBASTIAN BLANCO
A
utonomous truck platoons offer benefits that might not
be immediately apparent to the average road-tripper.
Two or more semis following each other at a distance
of 40 to 60 feet can seem like they're operated by
thrill-seeking drivers, but the real thrill-seekers are the trucking
companies, which are looking for a high-tech way to save fuel
and, at the same time, combat a rising problem: a shortage of
truck drivers.
The U.S. is expected to have a shortage of 176,000 truckers
by 2026, according to Rod McLane, vice president of marketing for Peloton Technology, a Silicon Valley company focused on
automated technology for freight hauling.
Platooning allows digitally connected trucks to save fuel by
driving close together in a convoy.
In December 2018, a McKinsey study predicted that any platooning solution that allows trucks to operate without a driver in
the second truck would not hit roads until 2022, with full driverless trucks not arriving until 2027 or later.
PELOTON'S CONNECTION
Peloton won't say exactly when its single-driver platoon will be
ready, but the company is establishing the building blocks with
two related solutions that it says will allow fewer drivers to carry
more goods while also using less fuel.
The first is PlatoonPro, a Level 1 driver-assist automated
safety technology for commercial trucks available now in limited
situations.
PlatoonPro connects two trucks at a time so that they can
accelerate and brake together. The system requires both drivers
to steer, and the drivers are in control of when they start and
stop platooning. The system requires vehicle-to-vehicle communication to be installed in both trucks, as well as a radar-based
CONNECTING TRUCKS
Platooning
Network
operations center
Active braking systems linked
Both drivers steer
Both trucks save fuel
V2V
wireless
link
Source: Peloton
14
shift * july 2019
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019
From the Editor
Taking responsibility
Q&A
No, we’re not there yet
Did you know?
One, two, four
Solving for x
Battle buddies
Looking out, looking up
Last mile
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Intro
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Cover2
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 3
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - From the Editor
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 5
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Taking responsibility
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 7
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Q&A
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 9
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - No, we’re not there yet
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 11
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 12
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 13
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 14
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 15
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Did you know?
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 17
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - One, two, four
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 19
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 20
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 21
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Solving for x
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 23
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Battle buddies
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 25
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 26
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 27
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Looking out, looking up
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - 29
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Last mile
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Cover3
Shift Magazine - July 22, 2019 - Cover4
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