News Archive

The Consortium's new actively-steered B-train was unveiled at the CVDC Steering Committee meeting today. The new actively-steered B-trailer has recently been delivered and is currently being commissioned by the researchers. It was designed by university staff in collaboration with several of the consortium members. For today's demonstration, the B-trailer was coupled with the Consortium's actively-steered semi-trailer to make a fully steered B-train.

The new trailer will be used to research the benefits of active steering for long combination vehicles. Although the B-train is much longer than a non-steered tractor semi-trailer, it is much more manoeuvrable and will offer benefits including reduced swept path, dramatically reduced tyre wear, as well as improved high speed stability. Important benefits of long combination vehicles include lower energy consumption for a given freight task, less traffic congestion, reduced road damage, and lower transport costs.

CVDC Mechanics of Heavy-Duty Truck Systems Event a Big Success
Cambridge University and the Cambridge Vehicle
Dynamics Consortium proudly presented a four-day event focused on the dynamics of heavy goods vehicles this past April (click here for details). The event was very successful, with over 50 academics and industry professionals attending from more than 10 countries worldwide.

EPSRC Grant Awarded to the CVDC
The CVDC has recently won funding from the EPSRC to take forward research into active multi-axle steering of HGVs. Further details about the CVDC and the project can be found at the Engineer Online.

Steering Robot Tests: Collaboration with Anthony Best Dynamics
Anthony Best Dynamics have worked closely with the CVDC in fine-tuning their steering robot for use on a tractor semi-trailer. For further details on the successful results and testing click here or else for more details about the consulting work done by Anthony Best Dynamics click here.

CVDC Welcomes Camcon as an Associate Member
The CVDC membership has expanded to include Camcon. Camcon is an Intellectual Property company founded to commercialise their bi-stable valve technology. The Camcon developed bi-stable valve offers quick response and low wear at minimal cost. The CVDC partnership will explore the commercial opportunities of the Camcon valves on heavy vehicles. Further details about Camcon and their patented valve technology can be found here.

Denby Transport has Joined the CVDC has an Associate Member
The UK and International Haulage company, Denby Transport, will be adding 80 years of goods transport experience to the Cambridge Vehicle Dynamics Consortium. Denby Transport has shown a ready commitment to develop innovative vehicles to solve UK's road congestion problems. The new partnership will be a huge boost to bridging the gap between research and products. Further details about Denby Transport can be found here.

Testing on CVDC Active Steering Trailer has Begun
Work on developing an active steering trailer has forged ahead. This innovative trailer will reduce swept path width, tail swing and tyre scrubbing, as well as improve the high speed performance measures of rearward amplification and offtracking. The CVDC members Cambridge University, ArvinMeritor, FM Engineering, Fluid Power Design and Haldex are collaborating together to ensure the success of this project. The pictures of commissioning and initial testing can be viewed by clicking here.

04/2004 Mechanics of Heavy-Duty Truck Systems
Mechanics of Heavy-Duty Truck Systems running from 29 March to 1 April 2004 was extremely well attended. Feedback from the event has been very positive. A big thank you to our course leaders Chris Winkler and Paul Fancher from the University of Michigan Transport Research Institute for their insightful and thorough lectures on heavy vehicles. As of yet there are no definite dates when the event will be repeated, but there was wide-spread support to hold the event in Cambridge again.

02/2004 Braking HIL-Rig Up and Running
The braking HIL-rig at Cambridge University was commissioned and successfully run on 11 February 2004. Haldex Brake Products Ltd have contributed significantly and the rig is hoped to become an important development tool.
Download preliminary results of the trailer brakes stopping a tractor-trailer combination: Acrobat or Word.

01/2004 Successful Demonstration of the CVDC Vehicle
The CVDC held their bi-annual steering committee on 20 January 2004. The CVDC computer-controlled vehicle was shown to CVDC members demonstrating our implemented active roll control strategy, in which the tractor-trailer combination tilts into the corner.
Download the group photograph.

01/2003 Haldex Join Consortium
The CVDC is pleased to announce that Haldex has joined the consortium. The Haldex Brake Systems Division is a leading supplier of subsystems and components for air brake and suspension systems for commercial vehicles. They will be heavily involved with the new project on braking strategies being led by Frank Kienhofer. Further details about Haldex can be found on their website.

01/2003 Meritor Increase Participation to Include Steering Systems
Meritor have extended their interest in the consortium and are to play a significant role in the active steering of articulated vehicles project. This will look at steering all vehicle axles and the strategies that optimise performance.

10/2002 MIRA Ltd has Joined the Cambridge Vehicle Dynamics Consortium.
Read more in the press release.

11/2001 Computer-Controlled Experimental Vehicle on Track
The Computer-Controlled Experimental Vehicle was taken onto the test track for the first time during the week of 29th October. Five days were spent commissioning computer software and hardware systems. Click here for further details.

7/2001 Tilt Table Test Performed
In July the Computer Controlled Experimental Vehicle was tested on the tilt table at Qinetiq's test facility.

11/2000 News article
A recent article published on the Engineering Department's "news and features" bulletin.