12 January 2023
Since this month of January, the Swedish Transport Administration has launched a geofencing pilot project between four cities, an initiative already tested in metropolitan environments that is now, for the first time, going to be tested on interurban roads.
Rissna, Hällesjö, Laggarberg and Timrå are the localities between which this system will be operational, which will affect the logging trucks of the SCA forestry industry that move between them. When entering the demarcated zone, the accelerator pedal of these vehicles will automatically “relax” if the speed exceeds the permitted speed. In case of having to face a difficult situation, the driver can deactivate the system by stepping fully on the accelerator.
The “geofencing” or geofencing uses GPS technology to create a limit or virtual fence where the vehicle perceives the specific conditions of a specific geographic area as it approaches. In this case, it is reflected in sections that go from 500 meters to 2.2 kilometers and where the programmed speed is established between 30 and 50 km/h.
According to those responsible for the initiative, the benefit of the project is threefold: showing the importance of maintaining the correct speed; respect the environment, since a lower speed translates into less fuel consumption; and having the possibility of testing the technology in a new environment to assess whether it can be extended to other sectors.
The Swedish Transport Administration will track drivers’ experience and how often a vehicle overrides the system, but has ensured that no personal information will be collected from drivers. It will then analyze the volume of traffic affected by the initiative and estimate the potential benefits of the initiative on traffic flow if all heavy vehicles used the system.