AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING: APPLICABILITY TO ELECTRIC PORT DRAYAGE TRUCKS AND YARD HOSTLERS

摘要

This paper explores some of the challenges ahead in creating fleets of autonomous heavy tracks. First an overview of autonomous truck solutions currently deployed or in trial will be presented as background, followed by an overview of autonomous goods movement solutions in port regions. Next the paper takes an in-depth look at a new breed of battery electric heavy vehicles in the Class-8 category, ones with significant potential benefits to port fleet operators in terms of energy savings and pollution reduction. These new vehicles already have sophisticated control systems and copious electric power for autonomy-supporting systems on-board. A roadmap of technologies required to automate such tracks will be presented and key elements will be discussed. Estimates of risks, costs and development times will be analyzed and conclusions presented.