Red-dot Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 Will love to see that caper on the Cockbridge to Tomintoul in darkest December? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberFowl Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 Wrote of my impreza there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breastman Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 I haven't read any details on these but how are they going to sense if a car/other vehicle is to the side/behind them and about to over take? Sure the sensors would need to be on the trailer, not the lorry, or are these going to be an 'all in one' job? Hopefully the threat of having one behind you will stop the selfish **** who like to sit in the left hand lane of dual carriageways and motorways doing 45-50mph and forcing HGV's into the overtaking lanes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-dot Posted August 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 Roundabout entry and give way decisions plus traffic light recognition will be interesting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 Roundabout entry and give way decisions plus traffic light recognition will be interesting? It will be like driving a 250 foot long vehicle, it will have to stay together for the system to work. Really hope they don't work during the trial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
del.gue Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 What happens if one breaks down or gets a flat tyre? Who is responsible if one goes wrong and hits another car?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-dot Posted August 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 ....the most important nut on a lorry is the nut behind the wheel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breastman Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 The insurance/responsibility question is a very good one. With the 'self-drive' cars a human driver is still required to be in the vehicle and has to shoulder the blame if something goes wrong. If these are properly driverless then who cops it when the lorry whacks someone? Or what about crash-for-cash idiots just ploughing into the side of the truck?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 ....the most important nut on a lorry is the nut behind the wheel? Exactly, one driver error is a convoy of trucks in error. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 There is still a driver in the other lorries to steer them, the front driver sets the speed and the distance between them but don't let the truth get in the way of a good story, Why they are calling them driverless is beyond me when they will all have drivers in them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 So wot's the benefits of having them then?? Not as if the driver can sleep, if he's still responsible for any accidents he might as well be driving it himself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprinter Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 Still need a driver so that he/she can make that last second manoeuvre signal mirror decision to cut you up..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
400_racer Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 So wot's the benefits of having them then?? Not as if the driver can sleep, if he's still responsible for any accidents he might as well be driving it himself I believe the reason these trucks will have drivers is because the systems are still in development, so the driver is required to steer and take over the pedal when needed. Their ultimate goal is for only the lead truck to have a driver, all the others play follow the leader autonomously, giving benefits in fuel economy (reducing drag as trucks can be closer together) and increase safety (majority of accidents are human error). It will be like driving a 250 foot long vehicle, it will have to stay together for the system to work. Really hope they don't work during the trial. The guy who ran the original tests in the US said on the radio this morning that if another car needs to split the lorries (to get to the hard should, exit etc), the lorry behind recognises this and increases the gap to the lorry in front to allow for the car in the middle. I dont know what range the wifi communications between trucks allows, but it doesnt sound like they have to stay together to work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 So wot's the benefits of having them then?? Not as if the driver can sleep, if he's still responsible for any accidents he might as well be driving it himself My understanding for now is that you can stick them six inches apart to save a lot of fuel between motorway hubs. Ultimately i dont see why you couldnt get rid of the rear drivers though. This is essentially a road train but with (small) air gaps to workaround the regs on maximum weight and length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BattleFieldRelics Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 A step towards mass unemployment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 A step towards mass unemployment. It seems unlikely in my lifetime they will get rid of drivers for all routes but essentially putting road trains between major hubs would reduce the number of drivers required. That said i am told by a friend who did some work in the area that for motorway use the potential fuel savings are worth significantly more than the saving on drivers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 Why don't they just run them on rails and call it a train? The idea is rubbish but it makes good headlines, think of all the problems . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 Why don't they just run them on rails and call it a train? The idea is rubbish but it makes good headlines, think of all the problems . Because we dont have the rail infrastructure, and it requires greater investment in facilities and work to offload and truck on. These just park up at depot, local driver hops in for the last legs alone and off it goes. What we do have is an overloaded road system with an excellent but rather full motorway ststem which would benefit from compacting trucks together. Rather than forking out a huge amount of money to expand rail capacity we significantly increase the road capacity by squeezing more trucks into a smaller space. Goods get cheaper because there are large savings in fuel and wages, no massive intrastructure investment needed, everyone wins except long distance lorry drivers. It could be done by rail but do you and I want to pay for the required investment in tax or increased cost of goods? Id sooner make better use of what we have already got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriBsa Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 (edited) So wot's the benefits of having them then?? Not as if the driver can sleep, if he's still responsible for any accidents he might as well be driving it himself Yes, but now fat truckers will have two hands free to eat with. Edited August 25, 2017 by TriBsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krugerandsmith Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 Why don't they just run them on rails and call it a train? The idea is rubbish but it makes good headlines, think of all the problems . That is exactly were they should be on the railways and off the roads. This isn't Australia where they have road trains this is Britain the idea is both stupid and dangerous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 I have test driven a Tesla and am considering buying one. They are autodrive ready and the experience is unbelievably good albeit only on motorways. It will follow the lanes and maintain a gap with the car in front. If you want to overtake you signal and it checks whether it is safe to move lanes and if so changes lanes for you. Try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel b3 Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 speaking to an industry insider a while ago , he seemed to think that drivers might just take over at the tricky bits , before getting on the motorway , and after leaving the motorway etc , he didnt know if the drivers would actually be in the trucks between these points , or picked up and dropped off . he did say that a major stumbling block was blame , who would you blame when things go wrong and deaths/massive costs occur , the industry isnt actually worried about the deaths , theyre just worried about who will have to pay up lol. in many ways it could be a massive bonus , with the price of goods falling , and it would definitely be a massive benefit to roads and the environment , but , how many working men and women will it plunge into poverty ?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 All for a 4% fuel saving Got to be the stupidest idea of the century Just put a trailer on it or even two or alter the legal weight limit to allow the lorries to use there full capabilities The worlds going mad There is no way this can be cost effective or energy efficient Just my thoughts Of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krugerandsmith Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 All for a 4% fuel saving Got to be the stupidest idea of the century Just put a trailer on it or even two or alter the legal weight limit to allow the lorries to use there full capabilities The worlds going mad There is no way this can be cost effective or energy efficient Just my thoughts Of Excuse me for asking but if all three vehicles are using their engines. how can there be a fuel saving? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted August 25, 2017 Report Share Posted August 25, 2017 (edited) All for a 4% fuel saving Got to be the stupidest idea of the century Just put a trailer on it or even two or alter the legal weight limit to allow the lorries to use there full capabilities The worlds going mad There is no way this can be cost effective or energy efficient Just my thoughts Of If you put them much closer (a couple of feet) i understand the aerodynamics are such that >50% reduction in fuel consumption is acheivable. Pack them tighter and it also helps make more space on the road. On a 400 mile run improving from 17mpg to 27mpg you save 60l of fuel and potentially ten hours of driver time. Assuming rock bottom driver rates that takes about £200 in total off the cost of running the load, or if running a lorry commercially up and down the m6 for two trips a day six days a week £125k a year. More if fuel is over £1 a litre or you pay your drivers a decent living. The 4-10% currently quoted is with them much further apart so it doesnt seem as scary and new a concept. I do agree that allowing traditional roadtrains on dollies would potentially be more efficient but attempts to introduce that have never taken off, but either this or road trains would reduce the amount you and I pay for our goods to be transported with comparatively very little investment versus rail. Edited August 25, 2017 by Wb123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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