目前，盡管一些商用車隊和車主仍對自動駕駛，特別是重型卡車的自動駕駛持懷疑態(tài)度，但事實上，多數(shù)實現(xiàn)重型卡車自動駕駛的技術現(xiàn)已成熟。有人估計，這些技術將在2025年前做好商業(yè)應用的準備，甚至可能更早。
的確，現(xiàn)在一些非公路自動設備已經開始發(fā)揮作用了。事實上，早在上世紀90年代就出現(xiàn)了一些非公路自動操作設備，特別是在采礦和農業(yè)領域。舉個例子，自動和半自動農用機械現(xiàn)在非常常見，這些設備可以大幅提高收割效率，而且裝卸也更加輕松、快速。此外，GPS技術在農業(yè)領域的應用也非常廣泛，可用于完成播種位置識別與確認、農藥控制等多種任務。
對于自動技術在公路中的應用，其中絕大部分必要的技術已經登陸道路車輛，用以提高車輛的安全性，并減少事故可能產生的成本。這些配備包括攝像頭、傳感器和計算機，可以實現(xiàn)自動制動，避免與其他車輛發(fā)生碰撞；電子穩(wěn)定控制系統(tǒng)，可以降低車輛發(fā)生側翻或彎折的風險；盲點檢測系統(tǒng)；車道偏離預警系統(tǒng)，可以在車輛偏離車道時發(fā)出警告；及胎壓監(jiān)測系統(tǒng)，可以減少因爆胎而發(fā)生事故的可能性。
毫無疑問，美國聯(lián)邦和各州政府肯定會在自動駕駛汽車的發(fā)展中發(fā)揮重要作用。比如，美國國家公路交通安全管理局（NHTSA）就曾提出，2017年8月以后，所有新重型卡車均應配備穩(wěn)定控制系統(tǒng)。NHTSA援引一項研究報道的數(shù)據(jù)稱，由于失去控制，全美7類和8類卡車每年造成的死亡和受傷人數(shù)分別高達300人和2700人。
此外，奧巴馬政府也在今年1月提出開展一項自動駕駛汽車發(fā)展項目，從而減少人為錯誤，挽救生命，并解決聯(lián)邦與地方法規(guī)混雜的問題。據(jù)了解，該項目為期10年，項目經費為40億美元。
目前，美國多個州已經開始進行自動汽車的實時公路測試。其中，密歇根州的一個項目就將在I-69、I-94和I-696州際公路圍成的三角地帶進行公路測試。
另一個測試項目則主要依靠Mcity進行。據(jù)了解，Mcity位于美國密歇根大學北校區(qū)的交通運輸轉型中心，是一座占地32英畝的測試場。Mcity去年夏天正式開放，這座測試場經過專門設計，配備了多種不同的路況、轉彎、隧道、信號系統(tǒng)和照明水平，能在可控的情況下，測試互聯(lián)自動汽車的種種功能。
此外，目前部分非公路設備廠商正在與客戶和供應商合作，測試驗證車輛的精確度、速度和效率。
“列隊行駛”現(xiàn)已成為可能
雖然可行，但全自動汽車目前仍處于研發(fā)階段。不過，部分專家認為，全自動技術中的“列隊行駛”功能現(xiàn)已成為可能。具體來說，采用“隊列”功能的車隊可以利用空氣動力“拖曳效應”，最高節(jié)省10%的燃油，而且還能提高安全性。
在“列隊行駛”模式下，每輛卡車都配備了高級巡航控制系統(tǒng)。隊列最前方的卡車將控制整個車隊的制動和加速，而后方的卡車則利用巡航控制功能，與前車保持一定車距。目前，威伯科(WABCO)公司就可以提供這種技術。
很顯然，要實現(xiàn)未來大幅降低公路死亡和受傷人數(shù)的目標，肯定離不開當下的自動駕駛商用車輛的推廣。雖然近幾年來傷亡數(shù)字已經呈下降態(tài)勢，但全美每年仍有33000人因交通事故而喪生。
理論上講，如果車輛發(fā)生傷亡事故的概率更低，相應的保險成本也將有所下降。在評估引進安全技術的總成本時，工業(yè)和商業(yè)車隊及運營商肯定也會將保險費用考慮在內。
很顯然，“功能套裝”的價格也會影響車隊引進新功能的決定。不過，因事故發(fā)生率下降而節(jié)省的支出和規(guī)模經濟的效益，都可以抵消這部分成本。
由于北美地區(qū)關于自動汽車的討論日益升溫，威伯科公司順勢推出了一個自動駕駛功能套裝，其中包括空氣盤式制動器，以及碰撞緩解與穩(wěn)定控制系統(tǒng)。為了進一步鞏固自己制動領導者的地位，威伯科在今年早些時候收購了MICO公司。MICO公司是一家全球領先供應商，這家公司生產的液壓元件以及控制與制動系統(tǒng)，廣泛應用于農業(yè)、建筑、采礦等領域的非公路設備中。威伯科的收購是為了更好地打入北美的非公路設備市場，并繼續(xù)擴大公司在農業(yè)、建筑、采礦等領域的技術研發(fā)，尤其是有關制動系統(tǒng)的研發(fā)，因為制動系統(tǒng)是自動駕駛技術的關鍵組成。
不管是現(xiàn)在還是未來，威伯科對車輛安全性的追求始終如一：
• 目前的目標：碰撞緩解/避免、駕駛員表現(xiàn)監(jiān)控及指導
• 2020年目標：事故預防
• 2025年目標：自動駕駛、360°全方位安全系統(tǒng)。
碰撞緩解系統(tǒng)的全面發(fā)展
如今，碰撞緩解系統(tǒng)（CMS）在輕型車上的應用日益普及，現(xiàn)在已經足夠成熟，可推廣至重載車輛。碰撞緩解系統(tǒng)的關鍵是在雷達傳感器“看到”前方出現(xiàn)移動、停止或靜止的車輛時，如果駕駛員未能采取適當行動，則自動讓車輛減速或停止。
目前，OnGuardACTIVE是威伯科公司最為先進的碰撞緩解系統(tǒng)。該系統(tǒng)的環(huán)境識別速度比普通駕駛員快30%。而且，與普通的攝像頭系統(tǒng)不同，OnGuardACTIVE并不會受到駕駛條件的影響，在暴風雪、暴雨、濃霧、陽光眩目及深夜等環(huán)境下都可以正常工作。此外，系統(tǒng)還可以通過聲音、視覺和觸感等多種途徑向駕駛員發(fā)出警告。
我們分析了超過200個采用OnGuard系統(tǒng)的車隊，結果顯示，這些車隊在超過450億英里的累計里程中，追尾事故發(fā)生率降低了87%，事故成本降低了89％。此外，根據(jù)我們的計算，OnGuard系統(tǒng)的投資回報期最多為兩年。
與其他商用車輛供應商一樣，我們公司也開發(fā)了穩(wěn)定控制和車道偏離等系統(tǒng)，而且均能兼容自動駕駛系統(tǒng)。此外，我們還為加州的駕駛性能管理解決方案公司Smart Drive Systems投資2000萬美元。這家公司可通過視頻分析、預測分析和個性化性能系統(tǒng)，協(xié)助車隊提升駕駛技巧、降低運營成本，并縮短投資回報期。
當然，工業(yè)和商業(yè)車輛的整體前景將決定我們的技術組合的潛在市場。未來，成本、安全、責任劃分等問題將繼續(xù)影響車隊對新技術的接納和應用，但其中哪些車輛將成為自動駕駛汽車尚不得而知。
本文作者為美國威伯科公司總裁Jon Morrison，屬于《SAE非公路工程雜志》2016年6月刊年度總監(jiān)觀點系列報道的一部分。
作者：Jon Morrison
來源：SAE《非公路工程》雜志
翻譯：SAE 中國辦公室
Autonomous operations for heavy-duty trucks are coming down the road
Although some commercial vehicle fleets and owners remain skeptical about autonomous driving and the implications for their big rigs traveling down the highway, the fact is that much of the technology is already available to make it a real possibility. Some estimates say the technology could be ready for commercial application by the 2025 time period, or perhaps sooner.
Indeed, some off-road industrial autonomous vehicles already are at work, and actually have been since the 1990s, specifically in the mining and agricultural markets. Autonomous and semi-autonomous agricultural vehicles, for example, are fairly common these days out in the field where harvesters are electronically tethered to carriers for faster and easier loading. GPS technology also is used extensively in agricultural markets to identify and validate locations for seeding, pesticide control, and more.
For on-highway applications, much of the necessary technology already is being implemented to make vehicles safer, and to reduce costs associated with collisions. The technologies include cameras, sensors and computers that power autonomous braking to help avoid collisions with other vehicles; electronic stability control systems to mitigate rollovers and jackknifing; blind spot detection; systems that warn when a vehicle strays from its lane; and tire pressure monitoring devices designed to eliminate crippling blowouts and prevent accidents.
Federal and state regulations, of course, also will play a key role as autonomous vehicle development moves forward. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), for example, proposed that all new heavy-duty trucks come equipped with stability control starting in August 2017. NHTSA cites a study showing that Class 7 and 8 trucks account for more than 300 deaths and 2700 injuries annually due to loss-of-control accidents.
Meanwhile, in January the Obama Administration proposed a $4-billion, 10-year program to develop autonomous vehicles with a goal of reducing human errors, saving lives, and superseding a mishmash of state and local regulations.
Several states, however, already are gearing up for real-time highway testing of autonomous vehicles. One Michigan project includes a road-test triangle consisting of Interstate highways I-69, I-94 and I-696.
Another initiative focuses on Mcity, a 32-acre test facility operated by the University of Michigan Transformation Center on U-M’s North Campus. Opened last summer, Mcity is designed to test—under controlled situations—connected and autonomous vehicles, and features widely varying road conditions, roundabouts, tunnels, signals, lighting and much more.
Some off-highway manufacturers are collaborating with customers and suppliers to test and validate the accuracy, speed and efficiency of their vehicles.
Platooning now feasible
While workable, fully autonomous vehicles remain in development. One function—platooning—is now feasible, say some experts. In this case the enticement is fuel savings of up to 10% produced by aerodynamic “drafting,” with safety also a prime factor.
In platooning, each truck is equipped with advanced cruise control. The front truck controls the brakes and acceleration for the entire convoy, and the cruise control keeps those following at a precise distance from each other. This is another technology in which WABCO is able to actively participate.
Clearly the prospect of vastly reducing highway deaths and injuries lies behind the current push to automate commercial vehicle operation. Although declining in recent years, accidents still claim 33,000 lives annually in the U.S.
In theory, safer vehicles with fewer deaths and injuries should logically reduce insurance costs. That’s something industrial and commercial vehicle fleets and operators are considering in evaluating the overall cost of adding safety-related technology.
Paying at the checkout for a “basket” full of technology is another obvious concern of industrial and commercial fleets and owner-operators. However, these costs can be offset by accident-reducing savings and by economies of scale as volume climbs.
As the discussion on automated vehicles has accelerated in North America, WABCO’s suite of technologies, including air disc brakes, collision mitigation and stability control systems, are all platforms for autonomous driving. Furthering its leadership in braking, WABCO earlier this year acquired MICO Inc., a global market leader in hydraulic components, controls and brake systems for off-highway vehicles in agriculture, construction, mining and similar industries. This was done to gain greater access to the off-highway market in North America, as well as continue expanding our technology developments in these growth markets, especially as they relate to braking, a key component in autonomous driving.
WABCO has a vision for vehicle safety that takes into account the present and the future:
• Today: collision mitigation/avoidance; driver performance monitoring and coaching
• 2020: accident prevention
• 2025: autonomous driving; safety 360°.
Collision mitigation fully developed
Collision mitigation systems (CMS) are now gaining popularity in light vehicles and have been fully developed for heavy-duty vehicles. The key is radar sensors capable of slowing and/or totally stopping a vehicle that “sees” moving, stopping or stationary vehicles ahead and automatically brakes should the driver fail to take appropriate action.
At WABCO, we call the most advanced version of our CMS OnGuardACTIVE. It recognizes conditions 30% faster than a typical driver and is impervious to low visibility driving conditions such as whiteouts, heavy rain, dense fog, blinding sunshine and the dark of night—conditions where camera-based systems may be impaired. Moreover, it alerts drivers with acoustic, visual and haptic (sense of touch) warnings.
Our research shows that OnGuard in more than 200 fleets has provided up to an 87% reduction in rear-end collisions collectively over 45 billion miles and an 89% reduction in accident costs. Furthermore, we calculate the ROI for OnGuard is two years or less.
Like other commercial vehicle suppliers, we have developed stability control and lane-departure technology as well, both compatible with the looming era of autonomous operation. We also invested $20 million in Smart Drive Systems, a California-based driving performance management solutions innovator that uses video analysis, predictive analytics and a personalized performance program to help fleets and carriers improve skills, lower operating costs and deliver significant ROI.
Naturally, the overall outlook for industrial and commercial vehicles will determine the potential market for our portfolio of technologies. With issues of cost, safety and liability continuing to be key drivers for their acceptance and adoption, how many of those may be autonomous vehicles is yet to be determined.
Jon Morrison, President of WABCO Americas, wrote this article for Off-Highway Engineering as part of the annual Executive Viewpoints series appearing in the June 2016 issue.
Author: Jon Morrison
Source: SAE Off-Highway Engineering Magazine
目前，OnGuardACTIVE是威伯科公司最為先進的碰撞緩解系統(tǒng)，該系統(tǒng)的環(huán)境識別速度比普通駕駛員快30%。
美國威伯科公司總裁Jon Morrison
