Parallel Systems, the company behind the development of autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles, has unveiled its platooning technology to the world in a demonstration in Los Angeles.
The unique system, showcased for the first time ever, connects individual railcars through bumper-to-bumper contact.
"Our platoon testing began in October 2023, and the performance has been consistent with our modelling and simulations, which is exciting right out of the gate," said Matt Soule, Co-founder and CEO of Parallel Systems. "The vehicles have remained connected according to plan, allowing us to plan expanded platoon testing with increased speeds, greater numbers of vehicles, and braking."
The footage released showcases Parallel's railcars seamlessly joining and separating on a Southern California test track. These individually powered vehicles can form platoons of up to 50 cars, significantly reducing aerodynamic drag and boosting fuel efficiency. The automated process eliminates the need for traditional coupling and air brake lines, further streamlining operations.
Soule added: “Introducing platooning will help the rail industry address a range of critical challenges, including sorting and routing freight more quickly and keeping railroad crossings open for roadway and pedestrian traffic.”
Parallel hope that the platooning technology could help transform the efficiency within the freight market by eliminating the need for sprawling classification yards, where railcars are traditionally sorted. Individual cars can detach from the platoon, independently reaching their destinations or bypassing yard delays, further enhancing logistics efficiency.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has recognised Parallel’s potential, awarding the company approximately $4.5 million as part of its Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) initiative.
The purpose of the award is to test how well Parallel’s zero-emissions rail vehicles integrate with real-world railroad operations plus to evaluate supply chain resilience and reduction in energy usage, and associated emissions.
The platooning debut comes just weeks after Parallel's collaboration with Arc Infrastructure in Australia, showcasing a future-proof container transportation solution.
Photo: Parallel
