Volvo has released its vision for trucking in the future, with the unveiling of its Concept Truck 2020 program.
The company sees the future of long distance trucking as longer trucks, controlled by autopilot, driven non-stop in nose-to-tail convoys on green super-motorways linking the continents.
This is the vision that Volvo used when generating the ideas behind the Volvo Concept Truck 2020 design concept. But will it really look like this in just ten years?
Design director at Volvo Trucks, Rikard Orell said that is the whole point of the whole project.
“Progress is getting ever faster. Because of this our vision for the future is not that far away. Much of the technology in the Volvo Concept Truck 2020 is already available, other technology needs to be developed,” Rikard said.
“One needs to dare stride firmly into the debate, demonstrating what one can and will do. Just tinkering at the edges runs the risk of progress slipping away."
Some of the highlight of the Volvo Concept 2020 project includes:
the linking of vehicles together wirelessly into long trains that travel at 90 km/h, allowing drivers to take rest breaks behind the wheel;
the use of green corridors which separate trucks from other traffic, driving in their own lanes, like a railway but without rails;
a new dashboard in the cab with a thin film panel on which information is tailored to suit the driver. The panel is operated like a touchpad, just like an iPhone;
a new drivers’ seat, which has a thin, ventilated mesh backrest, more like a modern office chair than a traditional driver's seat. Behind the driver is a futon sofa which folds out into a wide, comfortable bed in the evening;
a sleek look for the exterior, reducing the perception of the vehicle's size. The LED headlamps and turn indicators are integrated into the front of the vehicle. The rear-view mirrors have been replaced by cameras that project their images onto the inside of the windscreen; and
the lower section of the front of the vehicle features integrated collision protection projecting forwards about half a metre.
Despite the changes, some things will remain the same. The Globetrotter sign on the roof is still there, but has been redesigned so that it harmonises with the lines of the vehicle and reduces drag. The driver can change the text on the sign from the instrument panel.
"We have come so far with the front of the vehicle that further changes to the basic shape provide only marginal improvements," Rikard said.
"However, a lot will happen when we start work on the design of the rear end of the vehicle. There is a great deal of untapped aerodynamic potential there."
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