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I seriously doubt those numbers (-50% fuel, energy harvesting by driving behind a truck) AND you are giving incentive to try dangerous driving. Please either b
by tashbarg 5y ago
I seriously doubt those numbers (-50% fuel, energy harvesting by driving behind a truck) AND you are giving incentive to try dangerous driving.
Please either back those numbers up with evidence or remove them for the sake of road safety.
- londons_explore 5y agoOn a flat (private) road, big container-hauling truck, 65mph, stick shift car following 20 feet behind... Put the car in neutral and you can follow for miles. You need to tap the brakes occasionally to stop yourself getting too close to the truck. That tells me no engine power is being used. Obviously it's unsafe to do on the public road for a bunch of reasons, but it really shows how good automated vehicle convoys could be for the environment if they can get close enough. Here is a video of the effects of the same airflow: https://youtu.be/xkbe2NP30Fs https://youtu.be/xkbe2NP30Fs
- tashbarg 5y agoHere's mythbusters doing it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lttgT1XZVvE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lttgT1XZVvE They estimate the savings at insane 20 feet at 20 something. Far from your claimed 100%. Could it be, that your road is not as flat as you think? That would also explain the necessary braking to not run into the truck, wouldn't it? But I couldn't agree more: let the machines do that perfectly and safe. Let's reap those sweet 25-50% increase in fuel efficiency.
- londons_explore 5y agoThe truck they're following there doesn't go near the ground... I suspect you really need to not have any route under the truck for the airflow for it to really work well.