The EU may approve "road trains" for European highways

Posted by Minnesotastan in Car & Vehicle on November 9, 2009 at 1:49 pm


road train 3Truck-based road trains are currently used for long-distance transport in rural Australia and in several other countries; they are created by physically connecting several trailers or semi-trailiers to the lead tractor unit.

The EU is proposing a different type of “train,” which would be comprised of a mixture of trucks, buses, and passenger cars closely following one another in a slipstream, much as race cars do at professional tracks.  The project’s acronym is SARTRE (SAfe Road TRains for the Environment).

The lead vehicle would be handled by a professional driver who would monitor the status of the road train. Those in following vehicles could take their hands off the wheel, read a book or watch TV, while they travel along the motorway. Their vehicle would be controlled by the lead vehicle.

The idea, of course, is to improve fuel economy and to relieve congestion by allowing a greater number of vehicles to occupy a given area of the roadway.  But notice how this concept also solves the problem of texting-while-driving, by removing the “driving” component and allowing the driver to spend his/her entire time texting.  Sounds perfectly logical to me.  What could possibly go wrong?

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15 comments to "The EU may approve "road trains" for European highways"

  1. Skipweasel
    November 9th, 2009 at 2:56 pm

    I get people doing this, informally, all the time. The thing I hate most about other people's driving is tailgating - some of them so close you can't see their headlights.

    Having said that, set up properly this might be workable though I'd find it very unnerving at first.

  2. Yo
    November 9th, 2009 at 4:15 pm

    I wonder how many vehicles you could chain together and have it still be safe.

    This morning I passed a Winnebago pulling an SUV pulling a speedboat and that made me nervous...

  3. mkechaz
    November 9th, 2009 at 4:41 pm

    I agree with Skipweasel, unnerving. My first thoughts were seeing 18 wheelers jack-knifing and losing control. As a passenger in one of the towed vehicles, I can't imagine trying to text while being on the business of `crack the whip`.

  4. xultar
    November 9th, 2009 at 4:43 pm

    There will be more sex going on than texting.

  5. Edward
    November 9th, 2009 at 5:13 pm

    It'll never get used. Even if the system gets invented and approved, no one will voluntarily be one of the middle cars. If you want to drive, you want to drive. If you want to take a train, you take a train. Whatever cost/convenience trade-offs occur will not move a sizable portion of people from either group.

  6. Skipweasel
    November 9th, 2009 at 5:52 pm

    Edward - I'm not so sure. I had to visit Mum twice last week - it's a 400 mile round trip but not particularly practical by train - not to mention expensive.

    If I could have joined a road-train even for an hour or so I'd have jumped at the chance.

  7. pwscott
    November 9th, 2009 at 6:26 pm

    I have no problems with road trains pulling semi trailers in rural areas such as deserts or tundras, but around regular everyday traffic, that's a no no. Lay more track and leave it to CSX. :^P

  8. e cigarette
    November 9th, 2009 at 9:54 pm

    Interesting idea!

  9. Wes
    November 9th, 2009 at 10:02 pm

    "I wonder how many vehicles you could chain together and have it still be safe."

    Read the article. They aren't chained together. They're linked by an electronic network. The participating vehicles are fitted with electronic controls that, when part of a "train," are operated by the lead vehicle.

    No one's being towed.

  10. K!P
    November 10th, 2009 at 3:52 am

    ill be the middle car! correctly backed up computers can hold those distances perfectly. Some newer mercedes already brake and accelarate when on cruise control. this is just a step further.

  11. trollkind
    November 10th, 2009 at 3:58 am

    If the free time and relaxation of this doesn't entice you, maybe 40% fuel saving does.
    http://www.hypermiler.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article& id=68&Itemid=64

  12. olderdriver
    November 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pm

    As someone who gets arthritis pain if I drive more than an hour or so, this would be fantastic.

  13. Old Geezer
    November 10th, 2009 at 3:50 pm

    It's all controlled by computers. What could possibly go wrong?

  14. Neil
    November 10th, 2009 at 5:59 pm

    Air drag is an enormous factor in fuel efficiency. Done correctly, this could result in drastic fuel savings. It could be done safely.

  15. iamthepush
    November 11th, 2009 at 3:44 pm

    this will end nicely.


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