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In the beginning, it feels really unusual. You prepare to take over at any minute.
It's amazing how quickly you get used to this and become comfortable.
When science fiction becomes reality.
That's one way of describing the Sartre road train research project.
It enables car drivers to let go of the steering wheel-
-while still rolling safely down the highway.
The actual driving is left to modern, automated technology-
-and to the professional truck drivers.
The road train should be led by a professional truck driver-
-who is trained to lead a road train. He has had a special training for this.
He will also be supported by the state of the art technology in the truck.
It's quite fun to see the passing vehicles. They are quite surprised-
-seeing me not driving the car, but reading a magazine.
A vehicle platoon has two main benefits:
It decreases the environmental impact and traffic becomes much safer.
The platoon is held together by wireless technology.
It allows the vehicles following to travel the trail of the lead truck-
-and to instantly react to any event.
90 percent of all accidents are due to the human factor.
However, computers can still only do what they're programmed to do.
That's why Volvo Trucks believe that the best way-
-of using fully automated systems-
-is by combining them with professional drivers' knowledge and expertise.
This also means a whole new area of business for the truck owners.
Road trains will be important for the environment-
-because we have an impact on fuel consumption in road trains.
We can get a lower fuel consumption for all vehicles in the road train.
And then also there's a benefit in it for the haulage company-
-that could get paid for being the lead vehicle.
What the project has shown is that it is technologically possible-
-to implement platooned traffic with multiple vehicles.
Therefore road trains could be a reality on the highways within 5 to 10 years.
What will take time, however, is to change the social infrastructure-
-like legislation and public acceptance.
Initially, people might be anxious.
But you don't think twice of getting on board of a plane or a bus.
Being in a road train is exactly the same: You're being led by a professional driver.