Page 25 - TTMA 75th Annual Convention Bulletin
P. 25
Second General Session
The Second General Session was held on Friday, April 28 and was called to
order by Chairman Dale Jones, Timpte, Inc.
The meeting commenced with seven Supplier Presentations.
The first speaker was Mr. Mike Lukuc, Program Manager, Connected and
Automated Transportation, Texas A&M Transportation Institute. Mr. Lukuc
has over twenty-six years of experience in Research and Development in
the Automobile Industry and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration. Click here to view Mr. Lukuc’s professional bio. Mike Lukuc
Mr. Lukuc’s presentation was titled The Evolution of Freight Movement Through Connectivity and Automation. The focus of
Mr. Lukuc’s presentation was truck platooning as a future innovation in the truck trailer industry. What is truck
platooning? Level 2 truck platooning extends radar and vehicle-to-vehicle, communications-based, cooperative adaptive
cruise control using precise automated lateral and longitudinal vehicle control to maintain a tight formation of vehicles
with short following distances. A manually driven truck leads a platoon, allowing the driver(s) of the following truck(s) to
disengage from driving tasks and monitor system performance.
Level 1 truck platooning has demonstrated the potential for significant fuel savings, enhanced mobility and associated
emissions reductions from platooning vehicles. Level 2 automation may increase these benefits while reducing driver
workload and increasing safety.
Why truck platooning? Besides driver compensation, the largest operating expense for a line-haul truck is fuel. At
65 miles per hour, each truck expends about 65 percent of its fuel consumption to overcome aerodynamic drag. Currently,
many large- and small-fleet operators use various techniques and technologies to gain 1 to 2 percent fuel efficiency.
Research suggests that truck platooning can provide 5–20 percent fuel savings, as well as offer other benefits (e.g.,
emission reductions, additional vehicle safety features and increased highway throughput).
