Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 6
ICT and New Human-machine Interactions
for Trucks and Buses of the Future:
e-Truck and e-Bus
Perspectives
6.1.
Introduction
Efficiency in operating trucks and buses has always been a major concern for
OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer)/vehicle manufacturers, and especially
for owners and operators. Indeed, the acquisition and operating costs are such that
the truck and bus are on the road as much as possible. From this point of view, they
are very similar to airplanes, with which they share certain characteristics such as
operability, but they also have their specificities. For the truck it is being able to
change itinerary at will, the route not (yet) being constrained by a prior declaration
(authorization). For the bus, operating efficiency is also targeted, but user
satisfaction is a priority, particularly in terms of punctuality and comfort. These
collective means of ground transport are not as highly monitored and controlled as
the plane and do not yet have as much on-board ICT. Research on computerization,
in the broad sense, in transport has been the subject of a lot of work, both in
universities as well as in private or semi-public organizations. The research came to
fruition and many aspects and solutions have been industrialized and implemented.
We will establish a typology of concerns that relate to the truck and bus, which are
at the centre of our studies. The industrialization of the different concerns
highlighted is not the same. However, it is certain that the logistical aspect has been
the most studied, notably in terms of its economic impact, which explains numerous
