Scania is designing the world’s first full-scale autonomous vehicle platooning operation for the future transport of containers on public roads between port terminals in Singapore.
The Singaporean Ministry of Transport and the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA Corporation) are organising the multi-year project, and Japanese manufacturer Toyota is also participating in this project.
The vehicle population in Singapore is approaching one million, so the initiative is seeking to address increasing demand and land constraints as the country uses 12% of its total area for road and ground transportation infrastructure.
Additionally, Singapore also faces a shortage of truck drivers.
It has tested autonomous cars, taxis, utility vehicles and buses, and is now adding trials of truck platooning concepts.
The truck platooning trials will take place in two phases. The first phase will focus on designing, testing and refining the truck platooning technology to adapt to local conditions.
These will be conducted by Scania and Toyota at their respective research centres in Sweden and Japan, to leverage their existing development work.
The second phase will consist of local trials and development of the technology in Singapore.
The aim is to organise convoys of four trucks – with the following three vehicles behind the lead truck autonomously driven, as well as to fully automate the processes for accurate docking and undocking of cargo.
“Autonomous vehicles and platooning are cornerstones of future sustainable transport systems,” says Scania head of research and development Claes Erixon.
“We are pioneering this field, which has the potential not only to save lives in traffic but also to decrease the environmental impact of transport significantly,” says Erixon.
Truck platoons have already shown the potential to achieve major fuel savings as well as contribute to increased road safety.
“Truck platooning technology presents us with an opportunity to boost productivity in both the port sector and the trucking industry. It will also open up opportunities for truck drivers to take on higher-skilled roles as fleet operators and managers”, says Mr Pang Kin Keong, chairman of the Committee on Autonomous Road Transport in Singapore (CARTS).
“Singapore has launched several autonomous vehicle initiatives and together we will now demonstrate how we can substantially enhance productivity in the Port of Singapore,” says Scania Singapore country manager Mark Cameron.
