Daimler Trucks tests truck platooning on public highways in the US

STUTTGART, Germany and ATLANTA, Sept. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

• Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) drives digitally connected trucks on selected highways in Oregon and Nevada
• Long roads and highways in the USA are predominant for truck platoons
• Connectivity and automated driving improve safety in truck platoons, support drivers and enhance efficiency
• Joint tests with fleet customers under real life conditions from 2018 on
• Roger Nielsen, President and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America: "We see growing customer interest in platooning. This technology stands for more efficiency and safety. Platooning technology is not meant to replace drivers – it's designed to help drivers. When the world is ready for platooning, DTNA will have a proven solution. Right now, we are driving Freightliners in platoons every day. I have personally driven one of our trucks in a connected mode. My experience has been impressive."

As the first commercial vehicle manufacturer in the US, Daimler is testing connected trucks in so called platooning operations on public roads in the US. This was announced during the North American Commercial Vehicle Show (Sept 24^th – Sept 28^th) in Atlanta. In truck platooning connectivity and automated driving improve safety within the vehicle convoys, support drivers and enhance efficiency trough closer distances between the connected trucks.

Having started with successful trials on Daimler Trucks North America's proving ground in Madras, Oregon, DTNA has received the appropriate permission from the regional regulatory body Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). In a first step called "pairing", Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) tests its platooning technology in two connected Freightliner New Cascadia truck trailer combinations.

DTNA benefits from proven systems which have successfully been operated by Mercedes-Benz trucks like in the European Truck Platooning Challenge 2016. With this initiative Daimler Trucks North America is reacting to an increasing customer interest in solutions for automated and connected driving in commercial transport. In a joint effort with fleet customers DTNA is working to understand how platooning technology may impact fleet operations (e.g. dispatch, logistics, driver training). In a joint effort with large fleet customers DTNA will test digitally connected trucks in every day transport business. With its Freightliner and Western Star brands Daimler Trucks is the undisputed market leader accounting for a 40 percent market share in the North American truck market.

Roger Nielsen, Präsident und CEO von Daimler Trucks North America: "We see growing customer interest in platooning. This technology stands for more efficiency and safety. Platooning technology is not meant to replace drivers – it's designed to help drivers. When the world is ready for platooning, DTNA will have a proven solution. Right now, we are driving Freightliners in platoons every day. I have personally driven one of our trucks in a connected mode. My experience has been impressive."

Daimler Trucks launches platooning technology in the US

For the past years Daimler Trucks is pioneering technologies on the fields of automated, connected and electrified driving with its truck brands Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and FUSO. Around the globe Daimler Trucks has already connected around 500.000 trucks to the internet of things – more than any other manufacturer. To digitally connect its Freightliner New Cascadias in the current tests in the US Daimler combines connectivity with its experience in automated driving. WiFi-based vehicle-to-vehicle communication (V2V) interacts with Freightliners Detroit Assurance 4.0 driver assistance systems featuring adaptive cruise control, lane departure assist and active brake assist 4. This technologys offers fuel savings to the customer when two or more Freightliner trucks closely follow each other, lowering aerodynamic drag and adding safety, because V2V reaction times have dropped to about 0.2 or 0.3 seconds – while humans normally can respond not faster than one second. Human errors cause 94 percent of the crashes on the road, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In the future automated and connected braking between lead vehicle and follower will prevent accidents.

When it comes to platooning the trucking industry in the US in not only talking about technology, but also – like in Europe – about regulatory issues. As a matter of fact: When the legal framework is set, Daimler Trucks customers will be able to operate their vehicles in platooning mode.

Daimler at the NACV

From Sept. 24^th till 28^th the NACV opens its doors at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. On the fair booth with a size of roughly 6,500 m², Daimler presents more than 20 vehicles and other technological highlights of the Freightliner, Western Star, Fuso, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Thomas Built Buses brands. The highlights of Daimler's Premiere Night, the "Let's Connect" press conference and additional press material are available under d.ai/nacv2017.

About Daimler Trucks North America

Daimler Trucks North America LLC, based in Portland, Oregon is the leading manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks in North America. DTNA manufactures and markets commercial vehicles under the brand names Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses. In 2016, DTNA continued to be the undisputed market leader in the NAFTA region with a market share of 39.3 percent in the Class 6 to 8 weight segment. The DTNA production network extends to nine locations. In addition to the corporate headquarters and the manufacturing plant in Portland, Oregon, there are four production plants in North Carolina (Cleveland, Gastonia, High Point and Mount Holly) plus production plants in Redford, Michigan and Gaffney, South Carolina. DTNA has two more production sites in Mexico (Saltillo and Santiago Tianguistenco).

Further information from Daimler is available at:

www.media.daimler.com and www.daimler.com

Daimler at a Glance

Daimler AG is one of the world's most successful automotive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the world's biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services provides financing, leasing, fleet management, insurance, financial investments, credit cards, and innovative mobility services.The company's founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in the year 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, it is a motivation and commitment of Daimler to shape safely and sustainably the future of mobility: The Group's focus is on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior automobiles that appeal and fascinate. Daimler consequently invests in the development of efficient drive trains with the long-term goal of locally emission-free driving: from hightech combustion engines about hybrid vehicles to electric drive trains powered by battery or fuel cell. Furthermore, the company follows a consistent path towards intelligent connectivity of its vehicles, autonomous driving and new mobility concepts. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the environment. Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Africa. Its current brand portfolio includes, in addition to the world's most valuable premium automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz (Source: Interbrand-Study „The Anatomy of Growth", 10/5/2016), as well as Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach and Mercedes me, the brands smart, EQ, Freightliner, Western Star, BharatBenz, FUSO, Setra and Thomas Built Buses, and Daimler Financial Services' brands: Mercedes-Benz Bank, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Daimler Truck Financial, moovel, car2go and mytaxi. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2016, the Group sold around 3 million vehicles and employed a workforce of more than 282,000 people; revenue totalled €153.3 billion and EBIT amounted to €12.9 billion.

SOURCE Daimler North America - Corporate Communications