Hyundai Claims Truck Platooning Success

Philip Oakley

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12th November 2019

Hyundai claims it has successfully operated truck platooning on a Korean government “test-bed” highway to prove its autonomous driving technology.

Its trucks platooned on a 4.8-mile stretch of the Yeoju Smart Highway, crossing in and out of lanes when necessary and using vehicle-2-vehicle (V2V) communication to ensure consistent gaps between the different vehicles or for simultaneous emergency braking. Hyundai says the speed was limited to 37mph for safety purposes, which also helps reduce congestion in real world driving as every vehicle travels at a constant speed.

The driver of a following truck can steer in behind another, then activate platooning mode. This should keep a 54.8 feet gap to the truck ahead, with the autonomous technology controlling accelerating, braking, and steering functions, enabling the driver to be feet and hands off, although they have to stay alert.

Hyundai is not the first manufacturer to develop this technology, with Volvo demoing similar technologies in 2018.