Daimler Trucks' Highway Pilot Connect: Revolutionizing Autonomous Truck Platooning

Overview of Highway Pilot Connect

Daimler Trucks showcased the world of opportunities by digitally connecting their trucks. Three WiFi-connected, autonomously driving trucks operated on the highway as a “platoon.” Based on the Daimler Trucks Highway Pilot system for autonomously driving heavy trucks, the three trucks linked up to form an aerodynamically improved, fully automated platoon. This innovative system is known as Highway Pilot Connect.

Benefits of Platooning

Synchronized vehicles in a group require a distance of just 15 meters between them. This considerably smaller distance produces a significant reduction in aerodynamic drag, similar to the dynamics observed in cycling competitions. Key benefits of truck platooning include:

• Fuel Savings: A platoon of three trucks can achieve a fuel saving of around seven percent, thereby reducing CO2 emissions.
• Reduced Road Space: A platoon of three linked trucks has a length of only 80 meters, compared to 150 meters for three unlinked trucks.
• Enhanced Safety: Highway Pilot Connect transmits braking signals to following vehicles in less than 0.1 seconds, significantly faster than the human reaction time of 1.4 seconds.

This reduced reaction time can play a crucial role in minimizing rear-end collisions that frequently occur on highways.

Autonomous Driving Technology

The great advantage of Highway Pilot Connect is that all platoon members are equipped with autonomous driving technology. This enables them to maintain their direction regardless of the vehicle ahead. Thanks to wirelessly connected guidance, they can react to unexpected situations at any time. This capability is crucial when other vehicles cut into or leave the platoon's space. In such cases, the vehicle can smoothly separate from the platoon and continue driving autonomously, without the need for driver intervention.

Learn More

For more information on Mercedes specifications and prices, click here.

Editor's Picks

• Top 5 SUVs under AED 150,000
• Jaguar XF 2016 First Drive