ENSEMBLE, all focused research efforts to deploy platooning in the roadmap towards Cooperative Automation
The ENSEMBLE [1] H2020 project supported by the European Commission, showed its technical achievements in the public demo event in an amazing live road environment [2] of Sitges-Barcelona on September 23rd 2021. Via the real-time and live multi-camera video connection the audience in Barcelona has been witness of the smooth platooning of 7 trucks in a line and in different use cases. These 7 trucks were provided, each by its representative European OEM brand - DAF, DAIMLER TRUCKS, IVECO, MAN TRUCKS&BUS, RENAULT TRUCKS, SCANIA and VOLVO TRUCKS.
The event focused on the technical implementations of the platoon functionalities realised during the project. This multi-brand solution is ready for standardisation and is able to cope with all different use cases encountered in normal traffic. A final project event is planned in March 2022, where the focus will be on the potential impacts of platooning, including socio-economic and business aspects.
The first of a series
This first article positions the ENSEMBLE project and its results in a complete technology development process context. The next article will go into depth on the steps taken by ENSEMBLE and their significance to the Mobility Automation roadmap, while the last article will line out further development options for realising this bright future.
In itself, the ENSEMBLE project is a necessary step in the continuous multibillion EUR development process to come to cooperative automated driving, e.g. for logistics.
The public demo event, as the integration and realisation of all project efforts so far, shows proof of the large step forward taken from the 2016 ETPC [3] (European Truck Platoon Challenge event, The Netherlands).
This earlier ETPC event has lead the basis for ENSEMBLE. The ETPC already exposed the technical feasibility and industry capability of electronically coupling trucks in a convoy of trucks of the same brand, realising safe short distance gaps between the participating trucks, and thereby generating the possibility for a fuel reduction between 7 and 15 % as forecasted back in 2016 [4].
However, there is a big difference between ‘showing the technical capabilities’ and ‘bringing this technology to market’ where latter requires a multi-brand and multi-stakeholder approach.
We consider the ETPC result as a Technology Readiness Level [5](TRL) 6:
It is exactly this result that persuaded the industry management to further invest and the European Commission to raise the relevant subsidy calls for industry support.
The ENSEMBLE project proposal was an excellent response to further build upon the 2016 ETPC results, by presenting a very consistent plan to obtain projects results that contribute to the breakthrough of the technology in the market. This project proposal also incorporates the engagement of the stakeholders, gathered by the ETPC forum, that further monitors and regularly informs the ETPC forum members on the advances of the platooning technology and its market adoption in the world.
Especially in the mobility and transport world, moving a development from TRL 6 to 8 is an enormous effort, as many complex questions, that did not yet arise in the purely technical OEM oriented work of TRL l to 6, have to be addressed. This is typically also the time that the technology development drops dead as many investors lose confidence when the full complexity becomes clear.
We consider the results of ENSEMBLE as shown in the public demo event as close to level 8 on the TRL scale (see footnote)[6]
Investments raise quite steep along the progress in TRL, where, on the other hand, the risks are getting lower as well. The amount of budget as assigned to ENSEMBLE has to be seen in this framework: to perform the necessary research steps to achieve the higher TRL and to deal with the complex mobility and transport needs and requirements.
These efforts do not lie purely in technology development, but also in addressing subjects as:
1) Bring all major OEMS together, build-up a common understanding and industry goal, define commonly accepted use cases for platooning in its related traffic environment, recognise and agree on a common set of requirements, and agree to spend an own investment budget on modifications of existing OEM specific solutions, coping with those requirements, and on further integration of common solutions to realise a multi- brand platooning system.
2) Accept a common development and realisation plan, build up and execute an agreed, phased testing plan, accepted by all OEMS, known as heavy competitors in the real market. Ensure continuous engagement, commitment to proper and timely execution of all these plans by each OEM itself.
3) Involve the road authorities, to make them aware and to explain them about the new mobility solution. Ensure their interests and engagement to research the necessary realistic exemptions, needed to allow modified trucks and platooning on their roads, still assuring full safety to all other road users and the related infrastructure. Assure their presence and guidance during the public demo event.
4) Identify all potential impacts, technical impacts on infrastructure, socio-economic impacts, business impacts and influences at the stakeholders. Research those and formulate solutions, mitigations and opportunities.
5) Ensure the after-project success. E.g. ensure that the ENSEMBLE solutions are going to be accepted by standardisation committees, by monitoring the relevant ongoing activities and phrasing the right proposals.
Can we expect a quick presence of ENSEMBLE technology in the market?
This is still an open question. The ENSEMBLE project partners are now finalizing all findings, including the impact studies. These will become available at the final event, planned in March 2022. The project partners also expect that all involved stakeholders will further engage themselves to complete the final market entry process of the technology.
Looking at the TRL scale, it is obvious that ENSEMBLE results need to be taken a large step further to TRL 9:
This requires building up experience with the system. ENSEMBLE is a research project and outcomes need to be verified on a large scale. Now, only technical realisations are addressed, not the outcome of the other studies in live environments. Operations with a significant amount of operational time may reveal shortcomings to be handled, but will also prove the platooning benefits and fully mature the technology. In addition it will also mature the mind set of all involved stakeholders. At least official standardisation, certification and (road admission) regulations need to be in place as well . This TRL9 is still a necessary step before large scale market introduction.
Frank Daems
ERTICO
EMSEMBLE WP6 lead.
References:
Michael P Lammert et al. “Effect of platooning on fuel consumption of class 8 vehicles over a range of speeds, following distances, and mass”. In: SAE International Journal of Commercial Vehicles 7.2014-01-2438 (2014), pp. 626–639.
Mark Michaelian and Fred Browand. “Field experiments demonstrate fuel savings for close following”.(2000).
Stefan Deutschle et al. “Use of electronically linked konvoi truck platoons on motorways”. In: ATZ worldwide 112.7-8 (2010), pp. 74–79.
Arturo Davila, Enric Aramburu, and Alex Freixas. Making the best out of aerodynamics: Platoons. Tech. rep. SAE Technical Paper, 2013.
Sadayuki Tsugawa. “An overview on an automated truck platoon within the energy ITS project”. In: IFAC Proceedings Volumes 46.21 (2013), pp. 41–46.
Brian McAuliffe et al. “Fuel-economy testing of a three-vehicle truck platooning system”. (2017).
Brian McAuliffe et al. Influences on energy savings of heavy trucks using cooperative adaptive cruise control. Tech. rep. SAE Technical Paper, 2018.
Marcos Pillado et al. Limited results on the on-board coordinated platooning system performance evaluation via physical testing. Tech. rep. 2015.
R Veldhuizen, GMR Van Raemdonck, and JP van der Krieke. “Fuel economy improvement by means of two European tractor semi-trailer combinations in a platooning formation”. In: Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics 188 (2019), pp. 217–234.
[1] ENSEMBLE: ENabling SafE Multi-Brand platooning for Europe
[2] ENSEMBLE public demo event
[3] ETPC: various publications, e.g. : brochure-european-truck-platooning-challenge-2016.pdf
[4] Fuel reduction: various technical studies have revealed a potential fuel reduction of 7 to 15 % , depending on the distance gap between the trucks, as compared to trucks driving without any traffic ahead. See references
[5] Technology Readiness Level: e.g.: https://acqnotes.com/acqnote/tasks/technology-readiness-level
[6] Footnote: TRL 8 for ENSEMBLE refers to the so called ‘platooning support function’ and not to the platooning autonomous function which is only theoretically researched in the project. For further details I refer to the ENSEMBLE website.