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在线翻译:
szdaily -> Special Report -> 
Smart, green mobility taking shape in the Netherlands
    2018-03-31  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

    Zhang Yang

    

    nicolezyyy@163.com

    

    LIKE many other countries in the world aiming to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles, the Netherlands is exploring new ways to build a zero-emissions transport system with less congestion by developing smart and green mobility.

    

    It might sound surreal if someone were to tell you that trucks could communicate with each other and drive automatically on highways self-organized in a straight line.

    

    But this is happening in the Netherlands, as the country has initiated a European Truck Platooning Challenge, whereby various brands of automated trucks will travel in platoons on public roads from several European cities to the Netherlands.

    

    NXP Semiconductors, a world-leading semiconductor company based in the Netherlands, worked with its partners to demonstrate truck platooning in 2016 by using its vehicle-to-vehicle communication system and radar technology.

    

    Two or more trucks are wirelessly linked in truck platooning, while the first truck is manually driven and the rest follow as trailers. The trucks can travel in a column at around 80 kilometers per hour, with less than 10 meters between each truck.

    

    “This technology will make traffic safer, smoother and less congested,” said Maurice Geraets, board member of NXP. He said accelerating and braking by the leading truck can be relayed instantly to the following driverless trucks, and the “electronic drivers” react 25 times faster than people do.

    

    According to Geraets, cyber security is essential for connected and automated driving and a key to protecting the privacy of users, preventing unauthorized access to the vehicle-to-vehicle communication system and increasing safety.

    

    Bram Hendrix is a manager of smart mobility at Automotive NL, the Dutch cluster organization of the automotive and mobility industry.

    

    He said the Netherlands is the country most prepared for a future with autonomous vehicles by citing the 2018 Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index released by KPMG, a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services.

    

    The study evaluated 20 countries on the four pillars, policy and legislation, technology and innovation, infrastructure, and consumer acceptance. The Netherlands ranked first among 20 countries, with high scores in all pillars.

    

    Hendrix said the country is also promoting green mobility by setting ambitious targets, such as increasing the number of electric vehicles to 1 million and realizing zero emissions in public transport by 2025.

    

    In China, many cities are electrifying buses and taxies, and residents are encouraged to buy new-energy vehicles with subsidies offered by the government.

    

    However, many residents are reluctant to buy e-cars, as they are concerned about the shortage of charging stations in China.

    

    Lightyear, a Dutch startup, offers a solution to the problem. It has developed a solar-powered car called Lightyear One, which can travel up to 800 kilometers on a single charge.

    

    Tessie Hartjes, a spokesperson of the company, said the solar-powered car features a four-wheel drive powertrain that can handle rough terrain, and thanks to its solar panels, the car can drive for months in sunny climates without having to be charged.

    

    Compared with other automakers who have unveiled e-cars with solar panels on the roof, Lightyear reduces its solar-powered car’s energy consumption by using lightweight materials and alterations in the vehicle’s architecture, Hartjes said.

    

    The price of the car has been set at 119,000 euros (US$146,453), and the company has received 17 pre-orders, mostly from Dutch customers.

    

    Hartjes said the production of the car’s prototype will start at the end of this year and the first delivery is scheduled for the beginning of 2020. According to her, while the company is mainly focused on the European market, it is looking for investors from around the world.


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