AUTOMATED TRUCKS - FUTURE DRIVER PROFESSION IN AN ADAPTED INTERIOR
(2018) In Diploma work IDEM05 20182Industrial Design
- Abstract
- The purpose of this project was to investigate how the interior of a future autonomous truck can be designed with a user friendly focus. The solution should be suitable for a future scenario in 2030 where a Volvo FH with automation level 4 on the SAE scale will drive the route from Gothenburg to Umeå. This means that the truck is fully autonomous but there has to be a driver in the cab that can drive manually for certain stretches within the existing infrastructure. The amount of manual driving will decrease which creates opportunities to design the cab interior and components different from today. Logistics and the entire truck driver profession are also likely to change due to the fast development of autonomous vehicles.
The concept... (More) - The purpose of this project was to investigate how the interior of a future autonomous truck can be designed with a user friendly focus. The solution should be suitable for a future scenario in 2030 where a Volvo FH with automation level 4 on the SAE scale will drive the route from Gothenburg to Umeå. This means that the truck is fully autonomous but there has to be a driver in the cab that can drive manually for certain stretches within the existing infrastructure. The amount of manual driving will decrease which creates opportunities to design the cab interior and components different from today. Logistics and the entire truck driver profession are also likely to change due to the fast development of autonomous vehicles.
The concept is based on background studies within automation, the workday of truck drivers, secondary activities that the drivers execute, postures and motion sickness. Subsequently research objectives were formulated and used as a base for the upcoming interview questions. In depth interviews were executed with 9 truck drivers and 7 airplane pilots. A digital survey regarding drivers thoughts about their future professional role were sent out to students at truck driver schools in Sweden and generated 13 answers. To create an understanding for the cab interior space, different cabs from various models and brands were investigated. A truck ride, airplane cockpit visit and an investigation of cabins of different boats at Gothenburg Boat Fair were also done to get understanding and inspiration about compact vehicle spaces. Ideas were generated through brainstorming, evaluation, sketching, scenario drawing, personas and by mapping user journeys of the truck drivers’ workdays. Based on that, three concept ideas of how the haulage industry could develop logistically from the use of automated vehicles were born. These concept were evaluated and the two best ones were merged into one. Future professional truck driver roles were created with two drivers instead of one. To find strengths and weaknesses with the chosen concepts, the route from Gothenburg to Mariestad was mapped out in detail. From a driver’s point of view, we analyzed possible happenings during the way, things that can cause problems and positive experiences that can enhance the workday. The drivers different professional roles and work tasks were identified and stated. Based on the logistic concept and the professional roles, the interior was designed with the goal to ease execution of the different work tasks, to create an enjoyable spatial experience for the drivers, and to hopefully help to increase wellbeing and their work-life quality.
The result contains three parts: a different logistic concept for the autonomous truckindustry; new professional roles for the truck drivers; and a new interior concept. Instead of being away from home and driving for days, the drivers will in our concept always get back to where they started when a workday that has become shorter ends. We made a scenario where the drivers drive the route back and forth between Gothenburg and Mariestad, in Mariestad they change their loaded trailers with another truck. The drivers bring the trailers that they changed back to Gothenburg while their trailers continue up north with the next truck. The loaded trailers are drone trailers that can be disconnected from the chain of trailers during the route, and then be remotely driven to the different customers’ warehouses. The other way around is also possible. A drone trailer at a customer’s warehouse can be remotely driven to the chain of trailers and be connected. To make this concept possible, two drivers are needed: A Captain Driver who is responsible for the truck (the Rolling Control Unit) and the connected drone trailers; and a Remote Driver who remotely drives the drone trailer to and from the customer with the help of a Virtual Reality head set. The interior is designed with two seats, two steering wheels, and different types of displays that provide the Captain Driver and Remote Driver with information for planning and following the trip as well as when the vehicles are automomously or manually driven. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8962992
- author
- Nordenson, Anton and Winberg, Nathalie
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- IDEM05 20182
- year
- 2018
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- publication/series
- Diploma work
- report number
- ISRN: LUT-DVIDE/ EX--18/50424-SE
- other publication id
- ISRN
- language
- English
- id
- 8962992
- date added to LUP
- 2018-11-28 16:06:28
- date last changed
- 2018-11-28 16:06:28
@misc{8962992,
abstract = {{The purpose of this project was to investigate how the interior of a future autonomous truck can be designed with a user friendly focus. The solution should be suitable for a future scenario in 2030 where a Volvo FH with automation level 4 on the SAE scale will drive the route from Gothenburg to Umeå. This means that the truck is fully autonomous but there has to be a driver in the cab that can drive manually for certain stretches within the existing infrastructure. The amount of manual driving will decrease which creates opportunities to design the cab interior and components different from today. Logistics and the entire truck driver profession are also likely to change due to the fast development of autonomous vehicles.
The concept is based on background studies within automation, the workday of truck drivers, secondary activities that the drivers execute, postures and motion sickness. Subsequently research objectives were formulated and used as a base for the upcoming interview questions. In depth interviews were executed with 9 truck drivers and 7 airplane pilots. A digital survey regarding drivers thoughts about their future professional role were sent out to students at truck driver schools in Sweden and generated 13 answers. To create an understanding for the cab interior space, different cabs from various models and brands were investigated. A truck ride, airplane cockpit visit and an investigation of cabins of different boats at Gothenburg Boat Fair were also done to get understanding and inspiration about compact vehicle spaces. Ideas were generated through brainstorming, evaluation, sketching, scenario drawing, personas and by mapping user journeys of the truck drivers’ workdays. Based on that, three concept ideas of how the haulage industry could develop logistically from the use of automated vehicles were born. These concept were evaluated and the two best ones were merged into one. Future professional truck driver roles were created with two drivers instead of one. To find strengths and weaknesses with the chosen concepts, the route from Gothenburg to Mariestad was mapped out in detail. From a driver’s point of view, we analyzed possible happenings during the way, things that can cause problems and positive experiences that can enhance the workday. The drivers different professional roles and work tasks were identified and stated. Based on the logistic concept and the professional roles, the interior was designed with the goal to ease execution of the different work tasks, to create an enjoyable spatial experience for the drivers, and to hopefully help to increase wellbeing and their work-life quality.
The result contains three parts: a different logistic concept for the autonomous truckindustry; new professional roles for the truck drivers; and a new interior concept. Instead of being away from home and driving for days, the drivers will in our concept always get back to where they started when a workday that has become shorter ends. We made a scenario where the drivers drive the route back and forth between Gothenburg and Mariestad, in Mariestad they change their loaded trailers with another truck. The drivers bring the trailers that they changed back to Gothenburg while their trailers continue up north with the next truck. The loaded trailers are drone trailers that can be disconnected from the chain of trailers during the route, and then be remotely driven to the different customers’ warehouses. The other way around is also possible. A drone trailer at a customer’s warehouse can be remotely driven to the chain of trailers and be connected. To make this concept possible, two drivers are needed: A Captain Driver who is responsible for the truck (the Rolling Control Unit) and the connected drone trailers; and a Remote Driver who remotely drives the drone trailer to and from the customer with the help of a Virtual Reality head set. The interior is designed with two seats, two steering wheels, and different types of displays that provide the Captain Driver and Remote Driver with information for planning and following the trip as well as when the vehicles are automomously or manually driven.}},
author = {{Nordenson, Anton and Winberg, Nathalie}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Diploma work}},
title = {{AUTOMATED TRUCKS - FUTURE DRIVER PROFESSION IN AN ADAPTED INTERIOR}},
year = {{2018}},
}