Two automotive companies together with PSA[ds_preview] Corp. will start to develop an autonomous truck platooning system to be deployed in Singpore‘s port.
The Ministry of Transport (MOT) and PSA Corporation signed agreements with Scania and Toyota Tsusho to design, develop and test-bed an autonomous truck platooning system for use on Singapore‘s port. With this, Singapore moves another step closer towards autonomous freight transport.
These agreements follow a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked between MOT and PSA in October 2015, to collaborate and co-fund truck platooning projects.
Truck platooning involves a human-driven lead truck leading a convoy of driverless trucks. In the Singapore trials, the trucks will transport containers from one port terminal to another. This will also allow more freight movement to be conducted at night to ease traffic congestion, said PSA in an announcement.
»Trucking as we know it today is a highly labour-intensive industry. We face a shortage of truck drivers. In this regard, truck platooning technology presents us with an opportunity to boost productivity in both the port sector,« said Pang Kin Keong, Songaüore‘s Secretary for Transport. »It is timely that we move on to the next steps in developing autonomous truck platooning technology,« added Ong Kim Pong, Regional CEO Southeast Asia, PSA International.
Scania and Toyota were shortlisted based on the quality of their proposals and strong track records in both truck manufacturing and the development of self-driving technology. Both companies will be working to develop technologies to enable heavy vehicles to move in leader-follower formation, as well as to fully automate the processes for precise docking and undocking of cargo.
The truck platooning trials will take place in two phases over a three-year period
from January 2017 to December 2019. The first phase, lasting about a year, will focus on designing, testing and refining the truck platooning technology to adapt to local conditions. The trials will be conducted by Scania and Toyota in their respective research centres in Sweden and Japan.
Depending on the outcomes, MOT and PSA Corporation will then select one of the companies for phase 2, which will consist of local trials and some development of the technology in Singapore.
A 10-km long test route along West Coast Highway has been designated for the phase 2 trials. The trials will initially involve inter-terminal haulage between Brani Terminal and Pasir Panjang Terminals, and may eventually be scaled up for haulage within the port area, as well as between Pasir Panjang Terminals and Tuas Port.
