INTRALOG – intelligent autonomous truck applications in logistics; single and double articulated autonomous rearward docking on DCs

Abstract

Vehicle automation opens opportunities toward the improvement of people, planet, profit value in applications on distribution centres (DCs). Despite vision and drive for innovation in logistics, the lack of knowledge prevents the application of autonomous applications. Intelligent Truck Applications in Logistics (INTRALOG) contributes to this deficit and generates valuable insights for a future application in public environments. Current operational automated guided truck applications are bound to fixed infrastructure and do neither operate in the public domain nor offer opportunities to do so. Nowadays, in-vehicle intelligent systems are focused on driver support, opening opportunities such as truck platooning. INTRALOG cross-borders on DCs in relatively low-complex traffic environment, bridging the gap between autonomous driving in the public domain. The multi-agent system developed within INTRALOG aligns logistical movements on DCs, controlling single or double articulated container trailers (longer and heavier vehicle) between the public parking area and cross-docks. This study elaborates on the experiments on automated manoeuvring on a DC with single (SAVs) and double articulated vehicles (DAVs). The experiments comply with business requirements, e.g. manoeuvrability, time to dock and positioning accuracy. The research focuses on the effects of these aspects and control strategies of SAVs and DAVs.