davieG Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 Technology that links vehicles into "road trains" that can travel as a semi-autonomous convoy has undergone its first real world tests. The trials held on Volvo's test track in Sweden slaved a single car to a lorry to test the platooning system. Trains of cars under the control of a lead driver should cut fuel use, boost safety and may even cut congestion. Project researchers believe platoons of cars could be travelling on Europe's roads within a decade. Full Report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12215915
Jon the Hat Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 Cool. Technology will overcome all. Fear not.
Bellend Sebastian Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 It's an interesting development. Personally, I find driving a massive ball-ache, so anything that makes it a bit easier has got to be a good thing. What I'd really like to see is them implement the GPS technology that already exists that limits the speed of your vehicle depending on where you are, although the main reason this appeals to me is that the mountain of self piteous whining that would result could keep me entertained for years
hairy Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 Not fancy being stuck behind a lorry for a journey
Trav Le Bleu Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 It won't work. Despite people largely clamouring to be the same as everyone else for some strange reason when it comes to road travel we seem to manifest some immense personal space. A car is basically a cyborg, a machine integrated around a person; it almost IS the person. It's one area where people seem to show their individually & b) be unwilling to share - look at the failure, by and large, of car pooling schemes. Look at the rush hour traffic. It's probably 80-90% single people in 4 seater cars. Technology won't count for jack if people don't adopt. I can't see it.
Bellend Sebastian Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 I agree with everything you say. I really do think that people's romantic notions of the supposed freedom of owning a motor car are hideously outdated and the reality of it is actually pretty horrible, and the only reason that they cling to them is the fact that public transport in this country is so poorly organised and delivered that it's not a viable option for the majority. I'm a massive hypocrite because despite hating cars and car culture I do actually own one
davieG Posted 20 January 2011 Author Posted 20 January 2011 It won't work. Despite people largely clamouring to be the same as everyone else for some strange reason when it comes to road travel we seem to manifest some immense personal space. A car is basically a cyborg, a machine integrated around a person; it almost IS the person. It's one area where people seem to show their individually & b) be unwilling to share - look at the failure, by and large, of car pooling schemes. Look at the rush hour traffic. It's probably 80-90% single people in 4 seater cars. Technology won't count for jack if people don't adopt. I can't see it. It'll be free to join the convoy and expensive not to, the 'freedom' road will belong to the rich.
Zingari Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 Why don't they take this idea a radical stage further ? Have one enormous engine with a driver , pulling lots of carriages with facilities for travellers to sit in comfort , stopping at regular intervals so that travellers can board and alight at destinations of their choice . These travellers can then board a similar type of vehicle going the other way to return them back at a suitable time. this would enable a complete elimination of the need for the secondary or platooning vehicle for this type of journey
Bellend Sebastian Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 My tip is to live in close proximity to the places you want to go to
Zingari Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 would everyone have to stop every time the lorry driver stopped for a piss or a burger ?
Bellend Sebastian Posted 20 January 2011 Posted 20 January 2011 Or to murder a prostitute? Look at me, I'm Jeremy Clarkson
Zingari Posted 21 January 2011 Posted 21 January 2011 I can envisage masses of truckers going off sick with some sort of paranoid schizophrenia due to constantly being followed. Every time they stop for a piss , a fag , a burger or possibly murder someone. there will be lines of people in cars watching their every move , nodding knowingly and tapping their noses i don't think they've thought it through properly , they should have consulted Jeremy Klaxon or Bellend first
Steven Posted 21 January 2011 Posted 21 January 2011 Why don't they take this idea a radical stage further ? Have one enormous engine with a driver , pulling lots of carriages with facilities for travellers to sit in comfort , stopping at regular intervals so that travellers can board and alight at destinations of their choice . These travellers can then board a similar type of vehicle going the other way to return them back at a suitable time. this would enable a complete elimination of the need for the secondary or platooning vehicle for this type of journey Wasn't this idea first mooted about two hundred years ago?
Finnegan Posted 21 January 2011 Posted 21 January 2011 Or to murder a prostitute? Look at me, I'm Jeremy Clarkson
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