Borderline conditions for single or platooning operations in freight transport on expressways: Case study in Japan
Truck platooning is defined as a convoy of freight vehicles operated using an electronic coupling system, and has several advantages, particularly in terms of cost savings for fuel consumption and labor. Platooning technology is introduced by discussing several issues: the distance between trucks, n...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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Series: | Frontiers in Future Transportation |
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffutr.2022.913765/full |
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author | Tomoya Kawasaki Hoshi Tagawa Yui-yip Lau |
author_facet | Tomoya Kawasaki Hoshi Tagawa Yui-yip Lau |
author_sort | Tomoya Kawasaki |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Truck platooning is defined as a convoy of freight vehicles operated using an electronic coupling system, and has several advantages, particularly in terms of cost savings for fuel consumption and labor. Platooning technology is introduced by discussing several issues: the distance between trucks, number of trucks convoyed, waiting time at the platooning center, and distance between the origin and destination, all of which are variables that influence the transport costs. Important is to identify the extent to which these factors affect borderline conditions for single or platooning freight transport operations. Therefore, this study aims to develop a cost function of platooning operations, compare transport costs between single and platooning operations, determine the factors that affect the transport costs and identify the borderline conditions for single or platooning operations. The cost functions in the hypothetical network were developed by considering the important factors that contribute to the transport costs in Japanese road freight transport. A scenario analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of the inter-vehicle distance and the number of platooned trucks on the borderline conditions. Our results revealed that the platooning operation would offer a comparative advantage with a shorter inter-vehicle distance. For example, for an inter-vehicle distance of 49 m and a distance of 800 km between the origin and destination, the platooning operation is not advantageous compared with manned driving unless the waiting time at the platooning center is less than 30 min. In addition, a platooning operation is feasible even with a travelling distance of 100 km if the trailing vehicles are unmanned. The highest cost contributor is the cost of labor, the reduction of which can significantly reduce the total transport costs. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:32:35Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-8ff43c3483204c339722c8ef48b517f0 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2673-5210 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:32:35Z |
publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
record_format | Article |
series | Frontiers in Future Transportation |
spelling | doaj.art-8ff43c3483204c339722c8ef48b517f02022-12-22T02:24:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Future Transportation2673-52102022-10-01310.3389/ffutr.2022.913765913765Borderline conditions for single or platooning operations in freight transport on expressways: Case study in JapanTomoya Kawasaki0Hoshi Tagawa1Yui-yip Lau2Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, JapanDepartment of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, JapanDivison of Business and Hospitality Management, College of Professional and Continuing Education, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaTruck platooning is defined as a convoy of freight vehicles operated using an electronic coupling system, and has several advantages, particularly in terms of cost savings for fuel consumption and labor. Platooning technology is introduced by discussing several issues: the distance between trucks, number of trucks convoyed, waiting time at the platooning center, and distance between the origin and destination, all of which are variables that influence the transport costs. Important is to identify the extent to which these factors affect borderline conditions for single or platooning freight transport operations. Therefore, this study aims to develop a cost function of platooning operations, compare transport costs between single and platooning operations, determine the factors that affect the transport costs and identify the borderline conditions for single or platooning operations. The cost functions in the hypothetical network were developed by considering the important factors that contribute to the transport costs in Japanese road freight transport. A scenario analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of the inter-vehicle distance and the number of platooned trucks on the borderline conditions. Our results revealed that the platooning operation would offer a comparative advantage with a shorter inter-vehicle distance. For example, for an inter-vehicle distance of 49 m and a distance of 800 km between the origin and destination, the platooning operation is not advantageous compared with manned driving unless the waiting time at the platooning center is less than 30 min. In addition, a platooning operation is feasible even with a travelling distance of 100 km if the trailing vehicles are unmanned. The highest cost contributor is the cost of labor, the reduction of which can significantly reduce the total transport costs.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffutr.2022.913765/fulltruck platooningborderline conditionsfreight transportcost comparisonfuel cost |
spellingShingle | Tomoya Kawasaki Hoshi Tagawa Yui-yip Lau Borderline conditions for single or platooning operations in freight transport on expressways: Case study in Japan Frontiers in Future Transportation truck platooning borderline conditions freight transport cost comparison fuel cost |
title | Borderline conditions for single or platooning operations in freight transport on expressways: Case study in Japan |
title_full | Borderline conditions for single or platooning operations in freight transport on expressways: Case study in Japan |
title_fullStr | Borderline conditions for single or platooning operations in freight transport on expressways: Case study in Japan |
title_full_unstemmed | Borderline conditions for single or platooning operations in freight transport on expressways: Case study in Japan |
title_short | Borderline conditions for single or platooning operations in freight transport on expressways: Case study in Japan |
title_sort | borderline conditions for single or platooning operations in freight transport on expressways case study in japan |
topic | truck platooning borderline conditions freight transport cost comparison fuel cost |
url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffutr.2022.913765/full |
work_keys_str_mv | AT tomoyakawasaki borderlineconditionsforsingleorplatooningoperationsinfreighttransportonexpresswayscasestudyinjapan AT hoshitagawa borderlineconditionsforsingleorplatooningoperationsinfreighttransportonexpresswayscasestudyinjapan AT yuiyiplau borderlineconditionsforsingleorplatooningoperationsinfreighttransportonexpresswayscasestudyinjapan |