Increased traffic safety through vehicle automation

Purpose and goal

The project goals were to qualify the project leader Stefan Bergquist within the area of vehicle automation and to build collaboration between Volvo and PATH, UC Berkeley, within this area. During the project, Stefan has spent half his time at PATH in Berkeley together with a research team focused on vehicle automation. The main focus has been a project where a platooning system has been developed and tested in three trucks. The project has also enabled the project leader to take courses, visit conferences, and build a network within vehicle automation in the Bay Area.

Expected results and effects

The project has qualified the project leader by enabling the exchange with PATH that has placed him in the Bay Area which is a global center for vehicle automation. The project leader has, for example, taken courses in project management and leadership, published results on vehicle platooning, and visited conferences focused on automation. The project has resulted in a successful collaboration between Volvo and PATH where a platooning system has been developed and demonstrated in both California and Washington D.C. It has also led to new collaboration projects.

Planned approach and implementation

The collaboration project between PATH and Volvo has been focused on platooning. A platooning system has been commonly developed and installed into three trucks for testing of fuel efficiency and user-acceptance. The fuel tests are among the most extensive that has been performed and includes scenarios not tested before and has provided new insights into the potential of heavy truck platooning. The acceptance tests were performed with truck drivers on public roads in a controlled manner and provided a first indication of the drivers attitude to the platooning system.