A EUROPEAN Truck Accident Causation Study survey has revealed 47 percent of all truck accidents take place in monotonous situations with vehicles traveling in the same direction.
Consequently, the HAVEit project (short for Highly Automated Vehicles for Intelligent Transport) is aiming to develop a virtual co-driver that responds to both traffic conditions and drivers' needs.
It suggested trucks of the future could be equipped with an on-board digital co-driver to assist the human behind the wheel.
External sensors would evaluate traffic situations, scan lane markings, road signs, and current road conditions.
These would be combined with an internal system monitoring the driver and interprets his or her needs.
Reiner Hoeger, project coordinator for HAVEit said the project does not attempt to remove the driver from a position of control, but rather to provide continuous dialogue between driver and system, where the vehicle becomes more or less automated depending on the current circumstances.
Two trucks are currently undergoing a digital transformation at Volvo Technology in Sweden.
The has 28 million euros (USD$40 million) at its disposal.
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