Requirements and expectations for truck platooning: a multidisciplinary perspective

Abstract

Recent developments in vehicle automation are leading a paradigm change in respect to mobility of goods and people. Pushed by environmental concerns, researchers and practitioners seek new and innovative solutions. Nevertheless, the challenge of sustainable transport does not end with the use of clean fuels, as faster, cheaper, and more efficient transport is still desired by operators. The concepts behind truck automation and truck platooning technologies present potential for operations management efficiency and cost reduction. On the other hand, as drivers are still the main piece on a safe and efficient transport system, their working conditions must be ensured. Therefore, a multidisciplinary perspective on truck platooning is required, comprising the view of all the stakeholders involved in the development of safe and easily adopted technologies. In the context of the project TRAIN, we have developed exploratory research towards understanding and mapping the requirements for deploying truck platooning technology. Through a qualitative research, based on focus groups, we have identified three main areas of requirements from logistics companies: (i) labor, (ii) safety and liability, and (iii) transport and logistics. The analysis also showed that these areas are related to three research domains: (i) human factors and human-machine interaction, (ii) operations research and management, and (iii) policy and regulation.