New plan to cut fuel consumption and reduce accidents on European roads includes robot controlled convoys
Hi tech ‘road trains’ could soon be hitting UK motorways as the result of a European Union research project which is looking into ways to cut fuel consumption, journey times and congestion by getting groups of vehicles to travel in convoy using sophisticated computer technology.
The research project plans to develop a system of leading a series of vehicles to travel in line behind a lead vehicle that would be specially equipped with sensors to monitor the road conditions ahead of the convoy. The lead vehicle would be monitored by a professional driver. Once drivers have joined one of these road trains, the computer control system will effectively drive their vehicle for them, which means they can take their hands off the wheel.
Initial research on the project will last for 3 years, giving the designers and the engineers time to solve problems such as having vehicles joining and leaving the convoys safely and co-ordinating between different types of vehicles, such as cars, buses and trucks, that all have very different handling characteristics. Once research is finished, trials with 2 or 3 vehicle convoys will be held on test tracks in the UK, Spain and Sweden.
Road accident claims with Camps
For the time being, it looks like driving will be firmly in the hands of human beings, not computer programs. Unfortunately that also means there will continue to be car accidents on roads throughout the UK. If you have been involved in a road traffic accident where you were not at fault, then you might well be eligible to claim road accident compensation from the insurance company of the driver responsible for causing your accident.
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