What are the benefits of truck platooning?

Environmental and societal benefits

Clean

• Platooning results in a lower fuel consumption, as the trucks drive closer together at a constant speed, with less braking and accelerating.
• Truck platooning has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 10%.
• Truck platooning is part of the industry’s integrated approach to further reducing CO2 emissions. This approach looks at all elements that affect emissions during the use of a truck. Besides the vehicle itself, trailer design, alternative fuels, logistics, infrastructure and ITS technology (such as platooning) all play a decisive role in bringing down CO2 emissions.

Safe

• With conventional trucks, critical risk factors are driver reaction time and concentration. Indeed, some 90% of all traffic accidents are due to human error.
• Truck platooning helps improve safety. With connected driving, braking is automatic with virtually zero reaction time compared to human breaking.
• Allowing for more predictive driving of trucks on the road, platooning also improves safety for other road users.

Efficient

• Truck platooning optimises transport by using roads more effectively, helping deliver goods faster and reducing traffic jams.
• It therefore enables the supply chain and transport system to be optimised.
• Platooning reduces congestion by improving traffic flows and reducing tail-backs. 

Business benefits

• Platoons have the potential to make the logistic process more efficient and optimise the labour market.
• Platooning is a cost-saver, as lower fuel consumption means lower fuel costs, which currently make up 30% of total operating costs of a truck.
• For transport companies, platooning means also a safer, more efficient flow of their freight.
• Under current legislation, drivers are either resting or driving. With automated platooning, the drivers of the trucks following the leader have the possibility to undertake other tasks, such as administrative work or making calls.