Mary-Louise Hoffman
Lockheed Martin has invested in Peloton Technology in an effort to help further develop and commercialize the latter company’s truck platooning technology.
Peloton said Monday it raised $17 million in a recent funding round from Lockheed and several other investors, including Intel Capital and Denso International America.
Peloton’s technology employs a radar-based active braking system, vehicle control algorithms and a direct communication link designed to automatically enable trucks to operate at closer distances on highways.
The company developed its platform with the goal of helping industry boost fleet aerodynamics, safety and fuel efficiency.
A North American Council for Freight Efficiency-conducted test showed the Peloton technology cut fuel usage by 10 percent for rear trucks and about 4.5 percent for front trucks.
The company electronically monitors the coupling of individual trucks on suitable roads through a cloud-based network operations center.
