Driverless lorries

huskydog
huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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edited August 2017 in General Chat #1

Good idea or not ?

I think not

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  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited August 2017 #2

    It said that the lorries will drive closely together with the front vehicle pushing air out of the way, making the other vehicles more efficient and lowering their emissions.

    Ministers said that a driver will be in the cab of each of the lorries controlling the steering and ready to take over full control in the event of a problem.

    So travel close together with the lead vehicle breaking the air in front. Doesn't that happen already? 

    The drivers in the two following cabs ready to take control in an emergency. So they are going to be fully concentrating whilst simply steering and leaving lead driver to control speed, gear changes etc whilst sitting in a following vehicle? Depends what's on the radio I reckon!

    Story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/24/fleets-driverless-lorries-will-trialled-britains-motorways-next/

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2017 #3

    It does not say what speeds they will travel at but self driving lorry platoons are to be trialed on British Motorways. They will comprise of 3 HGV's traveling nose to tail, controlled by the front vehicle. The aim is increased fuel efficiency and less congestion. The president of the AA has raise concerns re the obscuring of signals from drivers in outside lanes and congestion on slip roads. Not sure what planet he comes from but lorries already travel up each other's bottoms and obstruct slip roads when they leave the motorway together. My concern is what you do with them when they leave the motorway. Initially they will each have a driver, for safety reasons, so could be split apart. However, ultimately the aim must be to have just the one.

  • robsail
    robsail Forum Participant Posts: 1,441
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    edited August 2017 #4

    I still remember the time I was overtaken by 3 lorries, one after the other whilst towing. The first caused the van to snake, second increased the snake, the third and I ended up doing 180 degrees ending up facing the way I had come from! 

    Fortunately no damage was sustained, so we will have to be careful if these driverless convoys are introduced!

    is I only in England and wales that this is being trialled? they will have to stop at the border if so!

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
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    edited August 2017 #5

    Don't like the idea I must admit. Will the gaps allow someone to get into them in an emergency ? Steve is right- they already do drive up each other's chuff boxes!  

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited August 2017 #6

    Maybe there will be the fourth that as now hogs the middle or outside lane for mile upon mile trying to overtake ,to give the "platoon"unimpeded passageundecided

  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
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    edited August 2017 #7

    If you were to end up between two of these lorries and needed to slow down or brake, would the vehicle behind you still keep running at the lead lorry's pace?

    If so that could prove quite messy.

  • neveramsure
    neveramsure Forum Participant Posts: 712
    500 Comments
    edited August 2017 #8

    From the footage they showed on tv the lorries are too close for your vehicle to get in between them.

    They say in the event of an incident that the Wi-Fi controlled trailing lorries can react quicker than a human driver could.

    I just hope the Wi-Fi signal is better than mine.undecided

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited August 2017 #9

    This country doesn't have usable wifi covering all of it, there are blind spots. Why invest in a 'truck train' why not actually invest in 'freight trains' now there's a novel ideaundecidedundecided

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited August 2017 #10

    You Tube video of Daff Trucks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6Oe8dRC4t4

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