European Truck Platooning Challenge 2016

This spring april 2016, six convoys of automated trucks participating in the 2016 European Truck Platooning Challenge left Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. All were headed for Maasvlakte II in the Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s biggest port. At the finish on 6 April, I welcomed all the drivers and partners of this first cross-border initiative with smart trucks in Europe.The Challenge has proved an important point. We’ve shown that platooning technology is ready for use and that we’re at the beginning of a new era in mobility. By working together, we can gain full benefit from the opportunities smart mobility offers. That’s why I want smart mobility, intelligent transport systems and connected and autonomous driving to be high on the EU agenda. And that’s why it is a key theme of the Netherlands Presidency of the Council of the European Union.The Challenge owes its success to constructive teamwork between public and private parties, EU member states, national road and vehicle authorities, truck manufacturers, logistics companies, knowledge institutions and stakeholder organisations. We can learn from this collaborative effort and its results, as well as from the bumps along the way that had to be smoothed out. What are the weak points of this complex cooperative set-up? How can we ensure clear-cut regulations governing every route across the EU? Where do we go from here? This booklet offers several insights. It is a record of our experiences, so that we can reuse the valuable knowledge gained in the future.I would like to thank all those who helped get the 2016 EU Truck Platooning Challenge on the road. I hope this new network will continue to play an active role in promoting smart cross-border mobility. Melanie Schultz van Haegen Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment