Multi-Brand platooning in real traffic conditions

Specific Challenge

Multi-Brand platooning (platooning of heavy duty vehicles of different brands and sizes) and automated heavy duty vehicles for long-distance transport are effective technologies to improve the energy efficiency, safety and management of European road traffic. In the past years, there have been significant efforts to develop the required technologies for platooning. However, substantial challenges remain on the path to a Europe wide deployment of platooning, such as platooning with different types of vehicles in real, mixed traffic conditions, better understanding the requirements with regard to logistics, data exchange, sharing of cost savings or the perception and behaviour of other road users in presence of road trains and automated heavy duty vehicles, for instance at motorway exits.

Scope

The focus of this topic is to develop, test and validate platooning concepts, technologies and functionalities and to demonstrate the robustness of multi-brand platooning using C-ITS communication on a real corridor use case (which preferably goes across national borders). The proposed actions should include all the following aspects:

• Solutions to ensure robustness, reliability and interoperability of the platoon operation in real road conditions.
• Automated mechanisms to support transition from single automated vehicles to platoons.
• Supporting models for forming and dissolution of platoons (with different vehicles from different manufacturers).
• Analysis of different platooning strategies (incl. logistical optimisation) to achieve good cost-benefits.
• Integration with intelligent traffic and logistical information systems.
• Suitable lane assignment strategies for platoons.
• Design of road interfaces between corridors for platooning and non-adapted roads and optimisation of road infrastructure to optimally support platooning (technical, capacity, management).
• Analysis of road users’ perceptions of and behavioural reactions to platoons and their behaviour, impact of road trains on traffic and transport infrastructure, legal/regulatory challenges and standards.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 15 to 20 million each would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact

Actions are expected to address the challenges that remain on the path to a Europe wide deployment of platooning with different types of vehicles in real, mixed traffic conditions. They will seek to demonstrate the feasibility of robust, reliable and interoperable multi-brand platooning systems on a real corridor use case. Actions will show that multi-brand platooning will help to increase energy efficiency of heavy duty traffic in platoons by about 15%, improve traffic management due to more efficient utilisation of road capacity, as well as: safety of heavy duty vehicles in mixed traffic. Therefore, actions will contribute to the development of modern, more efficient transport systems, with reduced impacts on climate change, air pollution, noise, health and accidents. Actions will also seek to reach a total cost reduction of logistics and supply chain leading to improved competitiveness of the EU in general and contribute to increased competitiveness of European Original Equipment Manufacturers and supply industry.

Actions will provide significant contributions in the following areas:

• Analyse impacts of platooning on traffic.
• Study perception and behaviour of other road users in presence of road trains and automated heavy duty vehicles, for instance at motorway exits.
• Analyse requirements with regard to infrastructure to optimally support platooning, logistics, data exchange, sharing of cost savings.
• Understand innovative business cases for operators (for example due to the impact on driving time and rest periods of drivers).