Research Press Release
Nature Communications
August 16, 2023
Truck platooning (trucks traveling in convoys) is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from truck operations, but it will increase greenhouse gas emissions on the road by about 28%. A paper pointing out the possibility ofNature Communicationswill be published in The authors suggest that truck platooning will accelerate the deterioration of roads and that the associated maintenance work will increase greenhouse gas emissions. Truck platooning can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from integrated vehicle-road systems by 5.1% globally, but the costs associated with truck operations are passed on to other road users and transport and road management authorities. may result in transference.
An estimated 23% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions come from the transport sector, with fossil fuel consumption from vehicles being the major source of emissions. One of the currently proposed measures to reduce emissions is the use of truck platooning. This is a known method of improving the fuel economy of trucks. A convoy of trucks resembles a commercial railroad car, with each truck moving synchronously with a constant distance between them, reducing air resistance and thus fuel consumption. .
Huailei Cheng and colleagues evaluated the decarbonization effects of truck platooning on a large North American road network containing 1457 road segments. Overall, platooning substantially reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the vehicle-road system. However, Cheng et al. point out that while platooning reduces greenhouse gas emissions in the short term, it can also cause unintended strain and damage to the road system. For example, platooning can reduce road life and safety and increase the need for maintenance work.
Cheng et al. suggest that engineers and policy makers consider the trade-offs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the expense of transportation authorities and the general public. In addition, to take full advantage of truck platooning, it is necessary to develop stronger road materials and structures to cope with the increased load on roads. Designing effective truck arrangements and encouraging platooning only during low traffic hours to reduce vehicle road occupancy can help mitigate the negative impacts that platooning can have. have a nature.
doi:10.1038/s41467-023-40116-0
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