Self-driving trucks tested in Japan, form a close-knit convoy for fuel savings

[Davey]

Does this mean that Mike Cash is or either losing his job, or will be the leader of 3 autobots following him

Anyway, I found this article and wonder how safe it will be.

[h=1]Self-driving trucks tested in Japan, form a close-knit convoy for fuel savings[/h]As Google and others ramp up their plans to develop self-driving cars, one government-funded corporation in Japan is already making headway with autonomous heavy duty trucks. In order to save fuel, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has programmed a convoy of four trucks to drive just four meters (about 13 feet) apart. That cuts down on air resistance, reducing drag (and thus improving fuel efficiency) similar to drafting with a race car.
NEDO's been working on the idea for a while, demonstrating a three-car convey with each car travelling about 15 meters apart (about 50 feet) in 2010. Three years later, the organization's four-car caravan is far more efficient. Japanese broadcaster NHK reports that the plan could reduce the vehicles' fuel consumption by up to 15 percent.

[video=youtube;7jchfQbkaF4]

Read the whole story on the verge:
Self-driving trucks tested in Japan, form a close-knit convoy for fuel savings | The Verge

 

[Mike Cash]

Key phrase: "government funded"

I won't be losing any sleep over this.

 

[Davey]

What's your opinion about it Mike... I mean you are the expert regarding driving trucks in Japan. From all of the members you must have an opinion about it, don't you? (not that you have to though)

 

[FrustratedDave]

Yeah and what happens when a car pulls into one of the gaps? The trucks stay at that distance? If they are going to use drag as fuel saver, this is ridiculous if you ask me, no real life application.

 

[Mike Cash]

It will never work on the roads sharing space with Japanese traffic and there is practically no place in Japan that would benefit from the system even if it did work. What these tax money wasting morons have done is reinvent the freight train, except the freight train does a far better job at it.

What they should have done, if they really wanted to eliminate inefficiencies, is to examine revamping Japan's rail freight infrastructure and create some inland ports for import/export traffic, distant from congested port cities like Tokyo and directly links to the docks by dedicated rail lines.

This was just government make-work intended to send pork to the researchers, not a sincere effort at practical solutions to the problem they are ostensibly examining.

 

[Mark of Zorro]

50 feet apart huh? I could get them to drive just two feet apart. I have been laboring lately on a device to accomplish the task, with wind resistance in mind. With my device they can be precisely two feet apart at all times. Not enough space for any other vehicle to come between. My device is very efficient and uses very little electricity.

I have not chosen a name for it yet, but I was thinking to call it a "trailer hitch". You think that name might catch on?

LOL