"Automated Vehicle Symposium, 19-21 July 2016, San Francisco, California."
Summary
This poster provides information about NREL's evaluation of the fuel savings potential of semi-automated truck platooning. Platooning involves reducing aerodynamic drag by grouping vehicles together and decreasing the distance between them through the use of electronic coupling, which allows multiple vehicles to accelerate or brake simultaneously. The U.S. Department of Energy's interest in platooning stems from the opportunity to reduce petroleum consumption. This work addresses the need for data and analysis on what aspects of operation can impact platooning savings and what can be done to maximize the savings realized.