A lot of time is spent in research and development in an effort to develop near-perfect transportation systems that can get us to destinations fast and without high energy usage. A few months back at a transport show held in Belgium, Mercedes-Benz flaunted its Aero Trailer concept. And, though it looked efficient and sleek, it will be no match for the eye-popping full trailer/tractor combination which will be displayed this month in Germany at the international trade fair, MobiliTec.
Introducing the Innotruck, a bizarre truck from the future which is a result of the project Diesel Reloaded. The project displays how drastic shifts in IT, energy and automotive related technologies can be utilized to answer common trends and needs.
The team working on the ground breaking project is led by Prof. Gernot Spiegelberg of the Technische Universität München, Germany. The Innotruck was projected to serve as a demonstration vehicle and a test-bed for emerging technologies such as car-to-car, car-to-infrastructure communications, plug-and-play applications and drive-by wire operations.
The truck is an electric vehicle with installed components such as display and controls which were developed with the intention to adapt to the driver’s capabilities, frequently changing conditions like the driver’s alertness and traffic flow. With such features, the Innotruck guarantees that drivers will never be flooded with unnecessary information that they don’t need to finish the task at hand. However, they will automatically receive information as and when it is needed.
Another major development made on the Innotruck is energy management, portrayed as a ‘micro smart grid’ where the vehicle will be able to manage energy flow not just from the installed battery pack but from onboard wind turbines, regenerative brakes and solar cells as well. An interesting feature is the electrical outlets along the sides of the vehicle that can benefit other EVs, allowing them to recharge from it when it makes a stop.
via: Gizmag
