Release: Canada’s First Automated Commercial Trucks to Roll Onto Alberta Highways
Safety, fuel efficiency and GHG reductions of connected truck platoons will be studied for one year
Calgary, AB (May 3, 2021) – Canada’s commercial trucking industry is shifting into a future that is being driven by safety, efficiency, and artificial intelligence. A test project funded by the Government of Canada will soon see a series of semi-trucks kitted with AI technology plying their trade on Alberta’s Queen Elizabeth Highway II – the major transportation corridor between Edmonton and Calgary.
Driver-assist technology will allow close-proximity following in platoon formation, reducing drag and increasing fuel efficiency. Other sensors, radar and camera technology will send information between trucks to manage safety and active braking systems, responding to sudden deceleration by the lead vehicle without human error like driver distraction.
The project includes ensuring platooning technology is tested for the safety of vehicle operators as well as all road users. Platooning can be a safe, efficient way to get Albertans the necessities they need on a daily basis.
“Innovation in the commercial transportation industry is being driven by technology. This program is critical to economic growth and competitiveness and improves safety and efficiency across the supply chain,” says Chris Nash, president of the Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA).
“Commercial trucking is essential to Alberta’s economy and we’re proud to trial new ways to get our goods to market. Supporting innovative projects like truck platooning will give us a better understanding of the safety and reliability of emerging technologies as well as their future potential on our highways,” says Ric McIver, Alberta’s Minister of Transportation.
Alberta Transportation has reviewed the proposed test project and supports its safe operation on the QEII.
AMTA is leading the project which is formally called the Cooperative Truck Platooning System (CTPS). The project is funded by Transport Canada and involves industry and research partnerships with Bison Transport, Pronto, the University of Alberta, Solaris Fatigue Management, Tantus, and support from Alberta Transportation. CTPS began March 1, 2021 and will run until June 2022.
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About Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA)
The Alberta Motor Transport Association is a not-for-profit, advocacy and safety training association functioning as The Voice, The Standard and The Resource for commercial transportation in Alberta. For more than 80 years, our work has encompassed a broad range of environmental, social, economic, safety and compliance matters that impact provincial highways. Research and innovation is now at the forefront of our projects, enabling AMTA to bring key stakeholders together to lead research and develop new technologies that will significantly enhance the industry while reducing human and environmental impacts.
Media inquiries
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