Road freight transport companies navigate a landscape of challenges, marked by intense competition and constantly increasing CO2 prices. In this dynamic environment, the imperative is clear: embrace technologies that are both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. So how can we actively contribute to enhancing the cost-effectiveness and CO2-friendliness of road freight transport?

Driven by this question, in the research project "Decentralized planning of platoons " we investigated what contribution platooning can make as a technology, if the decision to form a platoon is the responsibility of an AI.

Utilizing an agent-based and discrete-event simulation model, we explored cost savings for transport companies through decentralized platoon formation. The decision-making process, facilitated by a sophisticated large language model (LLM), opens up new possibilities for efficient coordination.

The results speak for themselves: transport companies with a fleet of 20 trucks can save up to €515/day with platooning technology, even with a low market penetration and without asking the LLM. With asking LLM transport companies can save up to €430/day. Savings vary based on factors like distance traveled and the likelihood of encountering other platooning-capable trucks on the route.

A big thank you to our dedicated team for realizing this innovative project: The project was realized in collaboration with the Goethe Universität Frankfurt and the Center for Cognition and Computation, led by Prof. Dr. Ramesh, Dr. Michael Rammensee, Dr. De Curtò y DíAz, and Dr. De Zarzà y Cubero, and together with Prof. Ralf Elbert and project lead Felix Roeper. It was funded by the Hessian Ministry for Economy, Energy, Transportation and Housing.

Click here and find out more about the future of road freight transport. And make sure to check out the simulation model!