Self driving lorries are here

The self driving technology, which is planned to be embedded into removal vehicles, has recently become all the buzz in the industry – and there are many good reasons for that. Self-driving worries are set to revolutionize the man and van business by reducing costs, increasing efficiency of services and thoroughly change the way we look at and approach professional moving services.

Even though there are many skeptics towards the idea, the fact is that steps forward to making all the plans a reality have been made. Inspiring progress was achieved in the past several months alone!

First it was announced that by the end of 2016 self driving lorries are going to be tested in the UK. Then, just a few days ago it became clear that the first tests in Europe were already completed and the results are great – the first cross-continent trip is already a fact!

Here are the highlights of the achievement:

• Six convoys of self-driving lorries arrived at the port of Netherland’s city of Rotterdam on Wednesday, April 5.
• The trucks, more than a dozen in total number, were manufactured by some of Europe’s largest companies.
• The umbrella body representing DAF, Daimler, Iveco, MAN, Scania and Volvo released a statement via spokesperson Eric Jonnaert, who explained that the organization calls the groups of self-driving vehicles a truck platoon. Every platoon consists of two or three trucks that are connected via wireless. The speed and route of the platoon is being determined by the leading vehicle in every platoon.
• The announced arrival actually completed the first ever experiment of its kind with the self-driving lorry technology. The trucks reached Rotterdam from factories from Germany and Sweden.
• The proponents of the new technology say that it is going to made roads a much safer place, because in their words most accidents today are caused by human error.
• “Truck platooning will ensure cleaner and more efficient transport. Self-driving vehicles also contribute to road safety because most accidents are caused by human failure,” the Dutch infrastructure and environment minister Malanie Schultz van Haegen was reported to have said by The Guardian.
• Eric Jonnaert said that platooning is going to relieve the much congested road traffic at busy arteries all over Europe, because the platoons of self-driving lorries are going to drive at a consistent speed and use artificial intelligence to determine what the best course for reaching an assigned destination would be, considering such factors as weather, traffic, distance etc.
• The new technology is expected to reduce costs for transportation of goods and even help the professional moving industry optimize their process of work.
• “This is all part of a journey, which we are on as the automotive industry, towards highly automated vehicles,”, Jonnaert said when asked about what the self-driving technology is expected to bring to the industry in the foreseeable future. Further legislative regulations on an EU level are expected to be made by the end of the year.

About the Author:

Kim Jacobs

Kim Jacobs is a removals coordinator with over 11 years of experience as part of the Get man and van team and other firms in the home and office relocation industry in London. Before joining our company, Kim has worked in various logistical and transportation companies and institutions such as Transport for London, The Removals Ombudsman, and has coordinated moving projects with some of the biggest suppliers of various goods such as IKEA, HomeBase, Amazon, Sainsbury's and others. While working as a chief removals coordinator, Kim also enjoys sharing her expertise with others through writing in our blog.