Platooning

This term is part of the following categories: Safety, Technology, Service, Sensors, Vehicle system and Activity / Process.

Version: 5.0, Release date: April 2023

Definition: Linking of two or more vehicles in a convoy using connectivity technology and driving automation systems which allow the vehicles to maintain automatically a set, close distance between each other when connected for certain parts of a journey and to adapt to changes in the movement of the lead vehicle with little to no action from the drivers

NOTE This definition is adapted from Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 Of The European Parliament And Of The Council of 27 November 2019 on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers, and systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, as regards their general safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users.

Previous versions:

Version: 3.0, Release date: October 2020

Definition: Linking of two or more vehicles in a convoy using connectivity technology and automated driving support systems which allow the vehicles to maintain automatically a set, close distance between each other when connected for certain parts of a journey and to adapt to changes in the movement of the lead vehicle with little to no action from the drivers.

[SOURCE: Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 Of The European Parliament And Of The Council of 27 November 2019 on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers, and systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, as regards their general safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users.]

Version: 2.0, Release date: June 2020

Definition: Linking of two or more vehicles in a convoy using connectivity technology and automated driving support systems which allow the vehicles to maintain automatically a set, close distance between each other when connected for certain parts of a journey and to adapt to changes in the movement of the lead vehicle with little to no action from the drivers.

[SOURCE: Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 Of The European Parliament And Of The Council of 27 November 2019 on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers, and systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, as regards their general safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users.]

Version: 1.0, Release date: January 2020

Definition: Vehicles travelling in column formation with the intention to reduce aerodynamic drag and thereby improve fuel efficiency.

NOTE: Platooning may be at time headways closer than would be considered safe for human drivers if supported by suitable vehicle-to-vehicle communication and automation systems.