Platooning might reduce the emitting of motorway carbon dioxide by 20 percent, as revealed by scientists participating in the Sartre project financed by Europe.

The technology, that involves a lead vehicle driving a line of other vehicles in a convoy, was successful in demonstrating in Sweden at the Volvo Proving Ground in Gothenburg.

Every car takes a measure of the distance, speed as well as direction, by adjusting to the car before them they can also depart from the convoy any time they please.

Scientists hailing from seven SARTRE-member companies in four nations put in efforts into the project. They feel the project might just be the solution to the future of motorway driving and cutting down on fuel consumption, and also an improved road safety.

According to Tom Robinson, the project coordinator of SARTRE, Ricardo UK LTD, this project is an important milestone reached as this was a vital European research programme. He has also added that platooning provides with the prospect of better road safety, improved road space usage, better driver comfort on long journeys as well as decreased usage of fuel and consequently the emission of CO2.