stevej60 Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Hi all,just seen on my local news that driver less trucks are going to be trialed on the M6 in the future,apparently there is a driver present in the lead truck ,just another case of technology changing the way we live I thought until I was told by the reporter it's being seen as a bid to cut congestion! Is it me how does removing half a dozen drivers cut congestion?What if the lead driver "nods" off? half a dozen trucks piled up on the carraige way is going to look pretty congested,Fried food retailers the length and breadth of the land will go bust due to lack of business too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Mercedes have been working on this for a while now I saw a demo in Germany a couple of years ago very impressive. Congestion is reduced as the trucks drive VERY close together dependent on the worst braking performance in the chain and there are no twenty mile over taking manoeuvres either (as a lorry driver my pet hate) which cause our wonderful motorways to revert to 17th Century single carriage roads... There are loads of sensors to ensure the lorry doesn't wander I've linked to an explanation and video for those who don't follow logistics.... The 2025 plan was seen as hopelessly optimistic when announced but seems to be performing well. Rather like airliners the aim is to have a human input for the most vital moments and auto for the boring bits. The drivers affected by this will be Trunkers who rarely use road-side cafes as they are rather thin on the ground on motorways and the like 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borez Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 It kinda bothers me that these "platoons" will be 10 vehicles ( 170m ) long to be honest. There's always going to be some numpty who'll wait until the last minute for their junction and then find one of these 170m long conveys blocking their way, hit the brakes and then wait for the "platoon" to pass on their inside before trying to filter in behind it. Which, in turn, will cause a whole load more congestion as the ripple effect backs up the traffic down the road. And that's just one scenario of many I can think of. I mean, it's an interesting idea in theory. In practice however IMO our roads are just too busy and there's way too many idiots out there for this to work fluidly. Although I could be wrong. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer Vor!!! Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Brilliant idea Why not We have driver less cars 4 X4 Audis Bmws White Van but most are silver now Any other numptie who cant read no manners and a pratt to boot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circloy Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 It kinda bothers me that these "platoons" will be 10 vehicles ( 170m ) long to be honest. There's always going to be some numpty who'll wait until the last minute for their junction and then find one of these 170m long conveys blocking their way, hit the brakes and then wait for the "platoon" to pass on their inside before trying to filter in behind it. Which, in turn, will cause a whole load more congestion as the ripple effect backs up the traffic down the road. And that's just one scenario of many I can think of. I mean, it's an interesting idea in theory. In practice however IMO our roads are just too busy and there's way too many idiots out there for this to work fluidly. Although I could be wrong. Serve the numpties right if they have to go the next junction or three 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan1302 Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 With cars starting to go driver less as well I suppose this is not a surprise...but is another way jobs are going to disapear which is always a worry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted March 7, 2016 Author Share Posted March 7, 2016 It's an excellent idea in theory but surely the congestion starts when trucks leave the motorways and hit the cities,town,s and villages if they want containers and trailers to "bunch" up why not lay some iron rails from major manufacturing areas and ports around the country to where these trucks need to be and load them on wheeled trailers a bit like that channel tunnel thing,we could call it the Railway in fact i'm going to patent that idea right now! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 That's me out of a job then! I know that I'm a bit of a technophobe but I'm not convinced about driverless vehicles, be they cars or lorries! As well as being a technophobe, I'm also a petrolhead and as such am probably biased but I can't see what's to be gained? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 I know where you're coming from Borez but Darwin always gets to work on idiots somehow! Many years ago three of us were heading down the M11 to that Dover port car comes whizzing past me at the back and tries to dive between number 1 and 2 to make the Harlow exit. At this point I was past the 300yard marker. The problem was that the gap was about ten feet as the leader had just passed the second truck. Cue a shower of car fragments, body parts and paper. Two in the car ceased to exist, one lorry trashed and I couldn't get back in the cab for a good while. The coppers reckoned they'd never have made the exit regardless due to the stupid speed they were doing, didn't help their families, mine or the hundreds who were parked up while it was all cleared. Poo happens I can see a period of adjustment as the train length is increased but don't see anything being a show stopper. Those Mercedes Guys are frighteningly good at what they're doing. When they brought in the auto gearboxes five of us out of more than a hundred managed to beat the computer in a trial week but I, for one, was bloody glad I didn't have to keep up. This will be the same. My Dad did his time in Eddie Stobart Senior's era and is convinced modern truck drivers live in unimagined luxury. Metal strips sounds good steve, I'll watch out for that catching on.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan1302 Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 As well as being a technophobe, I'm also a petrolhead and as such am probably biased but I can't see what's to be gained? Less wages, better fuel economy as they will all be preceisley controlled, reduced traffic, no over taking lorries blocking lanes up, less chance of a crash, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Lots of pros & cons, but I'd have thought that trials should have begun first with something that doesn't weigh x times 38 tonnes? Y'know... just in case there's an accident? Someone wants it to happen though, so it'll happen. The Tachograph made sure of that, as computers don't need mandated breaks or sleep 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Lots of pros & cons, but I'd have thought that trials should have begun first with something that doesn't weigh x times 38 tonnes? Y'know... just in case there's an accident? Someone wants it to happen though, so it'll happen. The Tachograph made sure of that, as computers don't need mandated breaks or sleep 'Driverless Cars' have been on the roads for a while now same technology and rather less risk. Basically modern trucks mean the driver is a 'steering wheel attendant' except for a short while at the start and end of a journey. I can see lorries being man-driven to an interface on a main route. Computer takes over while the driver takes another vehicle back and does the tricky stuff. Eventually it could be all computer. Remember the trucks in Will Smith's I, Robot film? able to pivot on the spot? they are looking at that as well. Driver wouldn't be able to cope but computers will. Rather like the F-117A unflyable by any human. Seemed to do OK though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
depressed lemur Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Seeing as though the Google car has managed to bump into a few things anyone want to speculate on the consequences of the pc in 18 wheeler needing CTRL, ALT, DEL at 56 on a crowded motorway? Technically brilliant but just because we can, doesn't mean we should. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince1159 Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Too much tech for me,in 10 yrs cruise liners without crew then 15 yrs it'll be aircraft without flightcrew!.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard E Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 An interesting concept which may have some applications, perhaps moving freight to supermarket delivery hubs overnight when there are less cars on the motorway network. No doubt it's also an idea which the military are/will be deploying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 It kinda bothers me that these "platoons" will be 10 vehicles ( 170m ) long to be honest. <snip> And that's just one scenario of many I can think of. And, of course the goon in the driver-controlled lorry who will just HAVE to overtake the "platoon" with a speed advantage of about 0.25mph, thus ensuring TWO lanes are blocked off for about twwenty minutes at a stretch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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