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The ELVA project (Advanced Electric Vehicle Architectures) was co-funded under the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme and had the goal of developing vehicle architectures specifically designed for electric powered vehicles. The consortium was formed by the Institute for Automotive Engineering (ika) of RWTH Aachen University (coordinator), Applus+ IDIADA, Volkswagen, Renault, Centro Richerche Fiat (CRF), Continental and the Swedish Vehicle and Traffic Safety Centre (SAFER).

In recent years, platooning emerged as a realistic configuration for semi-autonomous driving. In the SARTRE project, simulation and physical tests were performed to validate the platooning system not only in testing facilities but also in conventional highways. Five vehicles were adapted with autonomous driving systems to have platooning functionalities, enabling to perform platoon tests and assess the feasibility, safety and benefits. Although the tested system was in a prototype, it demonstrated sturdiness and good functionality, allowing performing conventional road tests. First of all the fuel consumption decreased up to 16% in some configurations and different gaps between the vehicles were tested in order to establish the most suitable for platooning in terms of safety and economy. Additionally, the platooning technology enables a new level of safety in highways. Around 85% of the accident causation is the human factor.

The ELVA project (Advance Electric Vehicle Architectures) was co-funded by the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme. The project was formed by a consortium of seven partners: Institute for Automotive Engineering (ika) of RWTH Aachen University; Applus+ IDIADA; Volkswagen; Renault; Centro Richerche Fiat (CRF); Continental and the Swedish Vehicle and Traffic Safety Centre (SAFER). The objectives of the ELVA project were to generate, investigate and analyse innovative design concepts for electric vehicles (EV). Also, to deliver new modular architectures with the same level of safety as today's best known practices, while minimizing weight, maximizing energy efficiency, optimizing ergonomics and interior space, all at affordable costs. The level of comfort and performance must also be improved. All of the development strategies were summarized in form of best practices, which have been made available for designers and engineers.

In a near future, platooning could become one of the most accessible strategies to help reduce the consumption of fuel and the emissions of toxic gases in the atmosphere, while also adding safety to the users and generating a better traffic flow. Nowadays, the auto industry and the governments are facing enormous challenges to reduce the amount of pollution in the atmosphere, to decrease the dependency on fossil fuels to generate energy and to increase safety on the highways. Several approaches are made, such as bio-fuels, hybrid and electric vehicles, engine downsizing and new modes of transportation that are more versatile and environmentally friendly. The downside is that most of this efforts are costly and require time and expense to be put to work. Platooning is an alternative option to minimize the impact to the environment profiting from the aerodynamic effects that occur naturally around a moving vehicle.

Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE), a research project funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme, has developed the technology and the strategy to create fully functional road trains that allow vehicle platoons to operate in public highways. The project intends to establish important concepts to show why platooning systems are a good way to increase safety and reduce pollution on tomorrow's highways. As part of the activities within the project, the authors performed fuel consumption simulations to estimate the fuel consumption reduction of the platoon due to the aerodynamics improvement. Dynamic simulations of the platoon behaviour in certain normal and emergency situations were also performed. Fuel consumption tests were also performed in companies proving grounds. These tests were performed using two trucks and three cars. Different platoon configurations were used, involving some or all the vehicles.

SMART RRS is an FP7 SST 2007 RTD1 European collaborative project funded by the EC with the participation of 10 institutions from 5 countries. The project aims to develop a new smart road restraint system that will reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused in road traffic accidents by integrating primary and tertiary sensor systems in it, providing greater protection to all road users, warning motorists and emergency services of danger for prevention purposes and alerting emergency teams of accidents as they happen to minimize response time to the exact location of the incident. This new smart restraint system will: Reduce the number of accidents through better information on the actual state of the road and traffic flow (climatic conditions, traffic flow, obstructions, hazards, accidents). Eliminate dangerous profiles from road restraint systems (crash barriers) that currently endanger vulnerable road users.

There are a variety of approaches and development projects centered on platooning. IDIADA is currently involved in the SARTRE Project, which is part of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development of the European Commission. This project has helped to establish some important concepts which show why platooning systems are a good way to increase safety and reduce pollution on tomorrow's highways. IDIADA's activities within the project have led to performing virtual testing of the fuel consumption that a platoon achieves due to better aerodynamics. Also, dynamic simulations of how a platoon would behave in certain normal and emergency situations have been made. The validation trials for the project will demonstrate the qualities and benefits of platooning as a safe and eco-friendly option for the mobility of tomorrow.

The SARTRE Project is an FP7 European collaborative project funded by the EC with the participation of 7 entities from 4 countries. The SARTRE project focuses on the design, set up, evaluation and validation of road train systems that do not require modification to the actual road infrastructure, making use of available technologies for in-vehicle applied systems. The SARTRE project will define a set of acceptable platooning strategies that will allow road trains to operate on public highways without changes to the road and roadside infrastructure therefore enhancing, developing and integrating technologies for a prototype platooning system such that the defined strategies can be assessed under real world scenarios. Also, the project will show how the use of platoons can lead to environmental, safety and congestion improvements.

Worldwide, 1.2 million people die in road crashes yearly; 43,000 just in Europe. This implies a cost to the European society of approximately 160 billion euro, making use of 10% of all health care resources. Sharp objects like crash barriers may lead vulnerable road users into serious injuries. Different road restraint system designs have been developed in recent years to improve vulnerable road users' safety. SMART RRS is an FP7 SST 2007 RTD1 European collaborative project funded by the EC with the participation of 10 institutions from 5 countries.