OREANDA-NEWS. Power management company Eaton has developed an autonomous driving system for commercial vehicles that will initially allow for self-docking of a commercial truck. The announcement was made here today at the 66th IAA Commercial Vehicles Show.

The Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) Dock Assist feature uses software upgrades to communicate with the control modules in Eaton’s automated manual and dual-clutch automatic transmissions. By controlling the vehicle speed and electronic brake (if a vehicle is equipped with one), the Dock Assist ADAS feature can eliminate damage to a trailer, loading dock and vehicle driveline.

No additional sensors or hardware are required to activate the system. At IAA, Eaton is showcasing two forms of ADAS – Dock Assist which is on a demonstration vehicle equipped with Eaton’s Procision™ medium-duty, dual-clutch transmission, and Autonomous Auto-Docking which is being shown as a concept.

Dock Assist

The system works with the driver of the vehicle positioning the truck with or without a trailer to park at a loading dock. As the vehicle begins moving toward the loading dock, the driver applies the service brake, comes to a stop, and with the flip of a dashboard switch activates the ADAS Dock Assist function. Once activated, the Dock Assist engages the transmission controls to moderate vehicle range and speed. When the transmission “detects” the dock based on the torque being applied while pushing against the dock, the system controls the speed of the truck to ease it into position and allows it to self-park. Dock Assist is an ADAS Level 2 system and cannot operate without a person in the driver’s seat.

“Dock Assist is a practical solution to an industry issue,” said Gerard Devito, chief technology officer, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “In conversations we have had with a large fleet customer, they estimate an expenditure of $10,000 a month for repairs from  damages that occur during the coupling of a tractor or trailer in the loading dock environment.  That is money they would not have to spend using Eaton’s ADAS Dock Assist system.”

Autonomous Auto-Docking

This form of Eaton’s ADAS technology involves a tractor or tractor/trailer combination being self-parked in a parking lot or loading dock environment, using GPS technology that allows the vehicle to find its destination without driver intervention. It is particularly useful in distribution center environments because it uses GPS technology to allow a driver to pull a truck and trailer anywhere into the lot and leave it. The lot manager would then be able to command the truck and trailer to autonomously park at a specified dock.