Skip to main content

Sartre road train project enters final phase

The Sartre (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) project, funded by the European Union, has announced that it has successfully completed the first test demonstrations of a multiple vehicle platoon.
March 16, 2012 Read time: 1 min
The Sartre (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) project, funded by the 1116 European Union, has announced that it has successfully completed the first test demonstrations of a multiple vehicle platoon. The test fleet included a lead truck followed by three cars driven entirely autonomously at speeds of up to 90 km/h (57mph) – with no more than six metres gap between the vehicles. The project is being driven by seven European partners and is the only one of its kind to focus on the development of technology that can be implemented on conventional highways in which platooned traffic operates in a mixed environment with other road users.

Sartre, led by Ricardo UK, compromises a collaboration between 1578 Idiada and Robotiker-1582 Tecnalia of Spain, 3971 Institut für Kraftfahrwesen Aachen (IKA) of Germany, 1587 SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, and 2394 Volvo Car Corporation and Volvo Technology (3970 Volvo Group) of Sweden.

Related Content

  • Improving barrier safety for motorcyclists
    February 23, 2012
    Mike Woof reports on delays to better barrier safety for Europe’s powered two wheeler riders. Safety for vulnerable road users continues to be a matter of some debate in Europe. Although powered two wheelers account for a comparatively small number of Europe’s vehicles as well as total distance travelled, they account for a disproportionately large number of accidents. Statistical data shows that by far the greatest risk to users of powered two wheelers as well as other vulnerable road users comes from driv
  • Road safety concepts aimed at developing nations
    October 31, 2012
    In this second of a two-part interview, Rohit Baluja introduces the work of the Delhi-based Institute of Road Traffic Education that he established in 1991 by way of practical response to the particular challenges of road safety in a developing world context Despite the alarming trends outlined in the first part of this article (World Highways: Vol.21, Issue No.6), Rohit Baluja remains optimistic that, if only the proper foundations of traffic management systems can be established, there is no reason why dr
  • Adopting driverless vehicles could boost road safety
    February 10, 2016
    A new report suggests that making all vehicles autonomous could prevent up to 95% of all traffic crashes. But the report also highlights how government and industry need to urgently address the barriers to adoption, regulatory and insurance issues. This new report has been produced by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in the UK. It calls for urgent action by both government and industry to encourage the greater use of autonomous and driverless vehicles.
  • Improving road safety in Europe?
    July 24, 2012
    New plans by the European Commission are being proposed in a bid to reduce accident levels on the road. The changes are being made in a bid to reduce accident levels caused by defective vehicles. Under the new rules, all motorcycles and scooters would require technical inspections at regular intervals.