Volvo SARTRE Program Allows for Autonomous Vehicle Trains

Jean-Paul Sartre is famous for the quote, "Hell is other people." You can argue given his personal philosophy whether he actually believed that, but it is a quote with which he is identified. If Volvo gets its way with its SARTRE there might be a lot fewer people on the road or at least fewer trucks. 

The SARTRE program is an initiative by Volvo and the European Commission. It stands for Safe Road Trains for the Environment. The initiative wants to allow trains of vehicles, including heavy trucks to travel autonomously on the highway. It has the following goals: define strategies to allow autonomous road trains to operate on public roads, enhance and develop technologies to allow it to happen, demonstrate uses for road trains and create a business model for them. 

"The aim is for the entire road train to be completed in autumn 2012. By then we will have four vehicles after one lead vehicle driving at 90 km/h," said Erik Coelingh, technical project manager at the Volvo Car Corporation.

Unlike the BMW program we posted about last week, this program kind of makes sense. Heavy trucks driving in autonomous groups would allow for several advantages. First, these trucks are close behind each other which allows for lower fuel consumption because of better aerodynamics. It also means better use of the road because they are taking up less space. In theory, this technology could also make highways safer. If these road trains are well marked, drivers will know that they will not making any sudden, unexpected moves. 

As enthusiats, we do not want control to be taken away from us while behind the wheel, but if this technology can come to fruition, it would allow for a best of both worlds. Enthusiats would get to drive and commercial vehicles would operate more safely and more efficiently.