Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

newsworthy

Volvo Trucks, FedEx test platooning truck technology

First such demo in U.S. between a transport company, truck maker.

Volvo Trucks, FedEx test platooning truck technology

Volvo Trucks North America and FedEx Corp. said today they conducted a demonstration in North Carolina of on-highway truck platooning, the first such demonstration of the technology between a major truck manufacturer and a transportation company in the U.S.

The platoon, which operated on N.C. Highway 540, also known as the Triangle," consisted of three truck drivers in Volvo VNL tractors each pulling double 28-foot trailers. Through wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology, the tractors and trailers remained in constant communication. The vehicles traveled at speeds of up to 62 mph while keeping a time gap of 1.5 seconds, maintaining a closer distance than what is typical for on-highway tractors. Staged and unplanned vehicle cut-ins demonstrated how the technology handles common traffic situations.


Platooning links two or more trucks in a convoy using connectivity technology and automated driving support systems. The vehicles automatically maintain a set, close distance between each other when connected for certain parts of a journey.

"Volvo's V2V technology is based on dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), which has proven its capability to perform well in the V2V environment," said Keith Brandis, Volvo Trucks North America's vice president for product planning, in a statement.

Since April, three Volvo Trucks' VNL tractors have been paired with various combinations of FedEx trailers to simulate real-world routes and trailer loads while traveling on N.C. 540. The potential benefits of platooning that are being studied during this collaborative research include faster responses to hard braking while maintaining safety and fuel efficiency, the manufacturer said.

The vehicle-to-vehicle communication system helps reduce the reaction time for braking and enables vehicles to follow one another more closely, automatically matching each other's speed and braking. The advanced technology is meant to serve as an aid, and not a replacement, for professional truck drivers, Volvo Trucks said.

When trucks can drive closely behind one another, fuel efficiency is improved as a result of reduced drag. Drag accounts for up to 25 percent of a truck's total fuel consumption, and the closer the trucks drive to each other the greater the fuel-saving potential. Reducing the traveling distance between vehicles also allows for greater highway utilization, helping alleviate traffic congestion.

N.C. 540, which is near Volvo Trucks' North American headquarters, is one of 10 locations nationwide designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation for demonstrating advanced vehicle technologies like platooning.

The Latest

More Stories

AI sensors on manufacturing machine

AI firm Augury banks $75 million in fresh VC

The New York-based industrial artificial intelligence (AI) provider Augury has raised $75 million for its process optimization tools for manufacturers, in a deal that values the company at more than $1 billion, the firm said today.

According to Augury, its goal is deliver a new generation of AI solutions that provide the accuracy and reliability manufacturers need to make AI a trusted partner in every phase of the manufacturing process.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

AMR robots in a warehouse

Indian AMR firm Anscer expands to U.S. with new VC funding

The Indian warehouse robotics provider Anscer has landed new funding and is expanding into the U.S. with a new regional headquarters in Austin, Texas.

Bangalore-based Anscer had recently announced new financial backing from early-stage focused venture capital firm InfoEdge Ventures.

Keep ReadingShow less
Report: 65% of consumers made holiday returns this year

Report: 65% of consumers made holiday returns this year

Supply chains continue to deal with a growing volume of returns following the holiday peak season, and 2024 was no exception. Recent survey data from product information management technology company Akeneo showed that 65% of shoppers made holiday returns this year, with most reporting that their experience played a large role in their reason for doing so.

The survey—which included information from more than 1,000 U.S. consumers gathered in January—provides insight into the main reasons consumers return products, generational differences in return and online shopping behaviors, and the steadily growing influence that sustainability has on consumers.

Keep ReadingShow less

Automation delivers results for high-end designer

When you get the chance to automate your distribution center, take it.

That's exactly what leaders at interior design house Thibaut Design did when they relocated operations from two New Jersey distribution centers (DCs) into a single facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2019. Moving to an "empty shell of a building," as Thibaut's Michael Fechter describes it, was the perfect time to switch from a manual picking system to an automated one—in this case, one that would be driven by voice-directed technology.

Keep ReadingShow less

In search of the right WMS

IT projects can be daunting, especially when the project involves upgrading a warehouse management system (WMS) to support an expansive network of warehousing and logistics facilities. Global third-party logistics service provider (3PL) CJ Logistics experienced this first-hand recently, embarking on a WMS selection process that would both upgrade performance and enhance security for its U.S. business network.

The company was operating on three different platforms across more than 35 warehouse facilities and wanted to pare that down to help standardize operations, optimize costs, and make it easier to scale the business, according to CIO Sean Moore.

Keep ReadingShow less