November 11, 2009

Road Trains and Dynamically Reconfigurable Modular Vehicles

The EU is working on road trains, where cars have electronics to allow them to automatically follow lead vehicles driven by professional drivers.



Lead vehicle



Many advantages


Dynamic Configuration of Light Car Modules
Another advantage is that it would enable smaller single person modular cars, that still allow more non-driver passengers or empty follow cars with cargo. Why would this be an advantage ? Couldn't we just have a trailer hitch or a sidecar between your car and modules with another person or cargo ? There would be easier dynamic reconfiguration convenience and a module or pod could be dynamically handed off to follow a different vehicle with known destinations (such as buses or delivery trucks). You could start out from your home leading a car with driving controls disabled with a child and you can rendezvous with a school bus or a someone in your trusted network of friends who is communicating a path that will pass the child's destination.

A dynamically configurable set of car modules allows easier usage of only the amount of vehicle that is needed for a trip. You do not have to drive a seven passenger SUV that only has one passenger and no cargo 90% of the time.

The car modules can be cheaper and lighter and more easily fully electrified.

You could also dynamically lend public charging modules, that can be paged for a rendezvous and docked to provide a charging boost.


I noticed that some people are concerned about safety if the people do not take back control of the vehicle. The robotic driving cars that exist now have:

1. Automated parking
2. Developing dynamic cruise control to automatically adjust speed based on location
3. Have been able to navigate urban traffic and rural courses for dozens of miles of driving (DARPA challenge vehicles)

A road train enabled vehicle that does not get the proper alert response from a person who is ready to take over driving again would be able to safely drive the vehicle to the nearest place for a safe park to wait until the person is ready. This capability would be less challenging than the tasks already performed by the DARPA grand challenge vehicles. The sensors and systems for the DARPA grand challenge vehicles are getting cheaper and more capable.

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