Future truck

Volvo Trucks core design team proposes ideas that may transform the segment of heavy-duty, long-haul cargo vehicles over the next two decades

By: Marcelo Januário

Imagine a future in which trucks that are strung together like articulated convoys or that look like trains designed for travel into outer space are powered by the energy generated by their own traction, change their configuration to suit the cargo they are carrying, and have no driver seated behind the wheel. Sounds like the plot or screenplay for a work of science fiction but, in fact, this is a scenario envisioned by one of the world’s greatest specialists in truck design, and it may become reality in the next twenty years.

Seated in front of a five-by-seven meter virtual-reality screen in Sweden is where Rikard Orell - Design Director at Volvo Trucks - conceives the realization of these revolutionary trends that will completely change what we have seen in the segment so far. Volvo Truck Concept 2030, conceived and led by Orell, foresees radical changes in the shape, design and technology of heavy-duty, long-haulage transportation ‘craft’, ranging from complete reinvention of such equipment to the creation of special lanes, referred to as “green corridors”, for vehicles of this kind.

Working with his full-sized clay models, 3-D software and even ‘conventional’ hand-drawn sketches, Orell wants to surpass the historical backwardness of design in the sector of truck-making, and give the process a breathtaking burst of acceleration. “It was just in the last ten years that people began to ask questions and to contest the established ideas in the sector, with the few interventions - when there were any - limited to the driver’s cab alone,” says Orell. “Now, however, evolution is inevitable, complete and irreversible.”

Desirable Future
Responsible for the vision and long-term design strategies at Volvo Trucks Corporation for the brand’s vehicles program, Orell “backcasts’ from 2030 to delineate the future of transportation equipment. According to him, the evolutionary lines toward a desirable future will be based mainly on how materials behave - helping to mitigate climate change; and on the lower use of fossil fuels - seeking to create alternatives to the use of petroleum.

In that regard, the first and clear trend is in energy collected from the vehicle’s traction; increasing energy efficiency through the introduction of new propulsion techniques. One way of accomplishing that, as the Scandinavian designer’s research suggests, is to equip the vehicle’s wheels with electric motors. “The rear-end - the trailer superstructure - is the next stage for development, since we have come so far and developed quickly with the external design of the front end that there is little to advance there,” he opines.

Despite this caveat, the layout tends to be extremely different from present day vehicles, with the enlargement of the length and the use of several rows of axle assemblies pulled by a leading tractor unit. This gives the truck the look of a “train on wheels” or even a ‘snail’ with its house on its back, something “more organic and integrated with the environment (see picture on page 44). “We know that a single truck is not as efficient as systems in which only the first one (the tractor) drives and pulls the rest,” justifies the expert.

Intelligent Traffic
From the standpoint of design, one of the most important factors for the future will be aerodynamic efficiency - a characteristic which is directly related to the shape of the truck. “Seeking greater efficiency has always been important and will be even more so in the future,” the director stresses.

To improve performance, the air can be directed to ‘float’ over the body, in a spectacular vision of a truly ‘mutating’ vehicle. “When the rear end is not used, it will automatically change its shape,” predicts Orell. A variation in this technology is the adjustment of the shape of the trailer, which can mold itself to the cargo that it is carrying and reduce air resistance by 25%. “All of this is a fledgling concept; still at the stage of aerodynamic calculations,” the expert points out.

Other outstanding aspects of the truck of the future is the use of slide-in technology and the technology of integrated infrastructure, as well as other details such as replacing side-view mirrors with cameras and decreasing the speed to somewhere between 40 and 90 km/h. As regards this point, the use of augmented reality techniques will make travel seem faster, keeping the predictable ‘boredom’ among the vehicle’s crew from setting in. The gain in productivity is achieved in the higher potential volume transported.

As regards “green corridors” - routes especially designed for the traffic of heavy duty vehicles - their goal is to reduce the environmental impact of truck traffic while increasing the efficiency and safety of highways. This project has been developed by Volvo’s ‘Intelligent Transport Solutions’ research area; an initiative to which Truck Concept 2030 is linked and which intends to integrate the different types of transports.

Automaton
But the most controversial parte is still to come: driving of the equipment. According to Volvo’s director, it is also certain that these vehicles will dispense with today’s drivers who, instead, will become “managers” of the system’s platforms; free of direct concerns involved in steering or even the route to take.

There are, however, issues of a moral nature still to be addressed. “Technically, controlling trucks remotely is possible, but would it be socially acceptable?”, he asks. “A machine of gigantic proportions moving along ‘by itself’ in the middle of a city and on highways may not be something that is well accepted, even in the future.”

What appears to be certain is that, with growing automation, the system will take over certain roles that are presently assigned exclusively to humans. “The vehicle drives itself and the person just watches over the system,” says Orell. “Thus, the challenge would be to attract young people to renew the profession of the ‘driver’ via the introduction of distinctively different environments.”

The designer refers to the possibility of providing larger and more pleasant cabs, well-ventilated internal environments that are free of interference, which include recreational areas in the truck itself and areas for relaxation or study, translucent interactive screens, sitting rooms or parlors and other possibilities.

All this, according to Orell, will help reinvent the very profession of the ‘driver’ - now clearly being challenged and under crisis worldwide. “The application of technology will bring greater ease of operation, relieving humankind of the obligation to control the machine all the time,” he foresees.  “With that, drivers will derive pleasure from their activity, safety will grow, vehicles will be more sustainable and companies themselves will benefit.”

The reinvention of mobility
Exhibited in Germany during the MobiliTec 2012 trade show, Innotruck - a prototype (see picture) - looks more like a spaceship than a truck, but according to its inventors the vehicle is the result of the adoption of a “holistic and radical approach to electro-mobility”.

Innotruck - a cross between a truck, jet plane, train, bus and trailer - is part of Project ‘Diesel Reloaded’ which was developed at the Technische Universität München (TUM) to demonstrate how changes in paradigms can stimulate industry;  redefining a vehicle as a system of integrated information with a scalable and modular architecture.

With central computer systems, solar cells and plug-and-play applications, the architecture of the system enables simplified integrations between vehicles, and between vehicles and infrastructure, helping to optimize traffic flows and enhance safety, in addition to helping to stabilize renewable energy source networks.

Rethinking the interaction between man and machine, researchers suggest a way to make the vehicle a "mobility partner" with devices and controls that adapt not only to the individual abilities of a driver and his/her typical behaviors, but also by changing traffic conditions themselves and how the vehicle relates to the environment.

The three-dimensional philosopher
Circulating in Europe since the 1980s, the projects for “future trucks” developed by German industrial designer Luigi Colani are a complete break from convention and also point the way for the segment. Taking his inspiration from the organic shapes of nature, Colani has introduced the concept of biodynamic design, achieving results that have impressed the industry.

Em 2005, Colani’s project - in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz - produced an engine with 150 more horsepower yet 30% more economical than the original engine. Collaborating with Siemens in 2007, the independent designer developed radical changes in the driver’s cab, which included the replacement of the steering wheel with a joystick, and designed other innovations that resulted in a 50% reduction in fuel consumption exclusively from changes in exterior aerodynamics, without any modifications in the engine.

Colani also built experimental vehicles for brands like Ferrari and Dodge, all utilizing highly original principles and providing excellent solutions for productivity and sustainability. The only problem was the fact that - as regards Siemens, for example - the development of the vehicle cost a drop in a bucket of US$ 1 million; an impediment which evidently keeps these projects from immediately becoming the industry standards.

Conveying the right impression
Marked by greater severity of use and the demands placed upon the structure of such equipment, one might imagine that appearance is the last thing that matters in the segment of off-road trucks. But not quite. According to Rikard Orell, the perception that a user has of the equipment is also very important to win over markets in the sectors of heavy construction and mining. “I believe that we attract both the hearts and minds of people,” he says.

An example of this necessity is the Volvo FMX - a model that was specifically designed for heavy construction duties. Launched in 2010, the FMX came into the world market as a symbol of the new trend in the Swedish brand’s design. Despite the reinforced structure, the design had to be enhanced to give the model a life of its own and set it apart from its predecessor - the FM. The operation included several design changes, such as the addition of 165 mm to the front section of the cab giving it a more robust and rugged appearance.

“With the FMX, there was still the need to convey the right impression. The model was not taken seriously by the market because it seemed like no more than a mere adaptation of the on-road model,” says Orell. “Therefore, we made adjustments for it to be seen as a specific piece of equipment for construction and mining; communicating its purpose clearly and making its features more evident.” The director, however, emphasizes that design alone cannot make up for all of the demands related to how the equipment will be utilized. “It’s no use looking like it can handle a duty but failing to perform as expected,” he concludes.

Product design is more than just styling
At Volvo, nature is a constant source of metaphors for the design department. The FH model, for example, was inspired by the Orca or killer whale - an animal that lives in the icy waters of the North Sea. Furthermore, the FH 16 comes in an array of colors and shades inspired by the Scandinavian environment, such as a greenish-golden tone that evokes the sun's reflection on the pine needles. “The color changes depending on the angle that light strikes it, acting upon an observer’s psyche,” says Rikard Orell - Design Director, Volvo Trucks.

The model has also gotten inclined lines to convey the impression of constant movement, vertical headlights, trapezoidal instrument panel and larger windshields to increase visibility both from inside as well as from outside the cab. “Our intention is not to follow trends, but instead to create timeless products expressing simplicity and efficiency,” says the director. “Manufacturers usually add elements, but we remove them in order to highlight what was already there, resulting in a more modern look for the truck.”