IAA 2018

•••9••• Innovationen Operating day and night with less costs Research scientists are testing autonomous, self-driving vehicles for logistics centers I n the collaborative project Au- toTruck, the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastruc- ture Systems (IVI) is cooperating with industry to develop tech- nologies for autonomous trucks in logistics centers. The results also inform the research on self- driving vehicles for normal road traffic. The researchers have deliberate- ly set their sights on automation zones, such as mines, truck de- pots, ports and company prem- ises. In contrast to autonomous driving on the road, self-driving vehicles in such demarcated ar- eas can be more effectively con- trolled: the people who circulate there can be instructed in ad- vance, and access is not permit- ted to unauthorized individuals. In addition, the autonomous ve- hicles do not need any road reg- istration there, but rather only machine approval. At a maximum of 15 to 20 kilometers per hour, the speeds are significantly lower than in road traffic. “Compared to road traffic, specially equipped automation zones have a decisive advantage: autonomous vehicles ready for registration will be able to be used there in the near fu- ture,” says Dr. Sebastian Wagner, Group Manager at the Fraunhofer IVI. “It’s true that controlled condi- tions prevail in these spatially de- limited areas. Nevertheless, key challenges have to be solved here, as well, that are relevant and trans- ferable for public road traffic.” Of course, this is not the only moti- vation: the autonomously driving vehicles provide numerous advan- tages for the operators of depots and the like. On the one hand, they can counteract the demographic change, since it is becoming in- creasingly difficult to recruit truck drivers. In addition, the autono- mous vehicles would be able to op- erate day and night, making fewer mistakes along with lowering the number of accidents as well as the costs. The technologies developed in the project will be demonstrat- ed and further developed at the depot of a project partner. The truck drives independently to the loading ramp and waits until it is loaded. Photo: Fraunhofer IVI ULTIMATE TRUCK LIVING EXPERIENCE AIR CONDITIONERS FOR STATIONARY USE PORTABLE REFRIGERATORS OEM SOLUTIONS Made in Italy VITRIFRIGO srl Via G. Mazzini, 75 - Fraz. Montecchio - 61022 Vallefoglia (PU) - Italy - Tel. +39 0721 154500 www.vitrifrigo.com info@vitrifrigo.com 20-27 Sept. 2018 Hannover STAND 25 HALL B37