Safe Road Trains for the Environment
Encyclopedia
Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE) is a European Commission
funded project to investigate and trial technologies and strategies for the safe platooning
of road vehicles, a transportation concept in which several vehicles are electronically linked together in a 'road train
', with only the lead driver in active control. The three year project was launched in 2009. A first practical test successfully took place in December 2010.
, funded by the European Commission
under their Seventh Framework Programme. The consortium is led by the British company Ricardo UK Ltd
. Other participating organisations are:
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
funded project to investigate and trial technologies and strategies for the safe platooning
Platoon (automobile)
Grouping vehicles into platoons is a method of increasing the capacity of roads. An automated highway system is a proposed technology for doing this....
of road vehicles, a transportation concept in which several vehicles are electronically linked together in a 'road train
Road train
A road train or roadtrain is a trucking concept used in remote areas of Argentina, Australia, Mexico, the United States and Canada to move freight efficiently. The term "road train" is most often used in Australia. In the U.S. and Canada the terms "triples," "turnpike doubles" and "Rocky Mountain...
', with only the lead driver in active control. The three year project was launched in 2009. A first practical test successfully took place in December 2010.
Project aims
The aim of the project is to develop prototype systems to aid the development of platooning for eventual use on unmodified public motorways, interacting with non-platooned traffic. The project was formally launched in September 2009, with an intended duration of three years. The EU hopes the use of platooning on European roads would cut fuel consumption, journey times and congestion.Proposed system
The SARTRE platooning system envisages a platoon of up to eight vehicles linked electronically, with the lead vehicle controlled by a professional driver, controlling in turn those following, as slave vehicles. Aimed at commuters in cars, but also possibly commercial vehicles and buses, drivers would be able to join and leave the platoon at will. To keep costs down, the technology for the system is to be achieved through off the shelf components, and specifically without requiring expensive changes to highway infrastructure.Funding and participants
The SARTRE project is run as a consortiumConsortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
, funded by the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
under their Seventh Framework Programme. The consortium is led by the British company Ricardo UK Ltd
Ricardo plc
Ricardo plc is a British publicly listed company named after its founder, Sir Harry Ricardo and founded on 30 June 1927 in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. The company is a leading global multi-industry engineering provider of technology, product innovation and strategic consulting...
. Other participating organisations are:
- Applus IDIADA (Spain)
- Institut für Kraftfahrwesen Aachen (IKA) (Germany)
- Robotiker-Tecnalia (Spain)
- SP Technical Research Institute of SwedenSP Technical Research Institute of SwedenThe SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, in Swedish SP Sveriges Tekniska Forskningsinstitut, is a joint stock company, fully owned by the Swedish government. It was formerly known as Statens Provningsanstalt , thus the abbreviation SP...
- Volvo Car CorporationVolvo CarsVolvo Car Corporation, or Volvo Personvagnar AB, is a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded in 1927, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo was originally formed as a subsidiary company to the ball bearing maker SKF. When Volvo AB was introduced on the Swedish...
(Sweden) - Volvo Technology (Sweden)