The IVECO S-Way truck, the latest in driver-in automation from Iveco Group’s commercial brand and Plus, has started a testing phase on public roads in Germany. This phase follows a thorough examination and validation process.
Equipped with PlusDrive, an advanced driver-assist solution based on Plus’ open autonomy platform, the lorry will garner real-world data during this stage. The aim is to prime the project for future factory production.
International testing plans
After Germany, the testing will continue for several months. Plans are in place for the road tests to spread across Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland. This will allow Iveco and Plus to gather data from a variety of road types and driving conditions across Europe.
Safety technology for safer roads
Iveco Group CTO, Marco Liccardo stated the new generation of AI-based predictive safety technology, like PlusDrive, could enhance safety, ease and sustainability in trucking. “These improvements may help decrease the risk of accidents, optimise fuel economy, boost driver retention and tackle the truck driver shortage across Europe,” said Liccardo.
A comprehensive testing regime
The lorry’s PlusDrive system includes advanced sensors like lidars, radars, and cameras. The road tests will scrutinise how the AI-based system manages driver-supervised manoeuvres, such as lane centring, cut-ins, lane merges, lane changes instigated by either the driver or the system, traffic jam assistance and nudging.
COO and co-founder at Plus, Shawn Kerrigan, praised the effort both the Iveco and Plus teams have put into getting this cutting-edge driving solution ready for public road testing. He also noted that some of the world’s largest fleets are already using PlusDrive for commercial freight delivery.
Safety first with TÜV SÜD
German safety and security firm, TÜV SÜD, was involved in testing the functional safety of the S-Way truck for public road trials. This is besides the comprehensive training that test drivers completed on the vehicle’s advanced safety features.
Data collection for future production
During these trials, Iveco and Plus aim to collect in-depth real-world data to prepare the driver-in automated lorry for future industrialisation. The PlusDrive system grants drivers a greater awareness of the vehicle’s environment through an array of supporting sensors.
The next few months will see testing continue in Germany before moving onto other European countries to collect a diverse dataset from a multitude of different road types.
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