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The French Groupe Blondel has formed a partnership with the French company Konboi to test a technology aimed at reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions from trucks. This collaboration seeks to trial the vehicle-integrated artificial intelligence (AI) under real-world conditions. In the first phase, four vehicles from the transporter will be equipped with the Hypermile solution, an intelligent speed regulator that optimizes driving behavior through real-time analysis of road conditions, topography, traffic, and vehicle behavior.
Should this testing phase prove successful, Blondel plans to gradually expand the technology to an additional 150 vehicles. The Hypermile technology is based on modern sensors and algorithms capable of predicting driving conditions. Unlike conventional speed regulators, Hypermile adjusts the vehicle’s speed according to various factors, including terrain, traffic, the load being transported, and upcoming delays.
Reduction of fuel consumption and emissions
According to Pejvan Beigui, the founder and CEO of Konboi, the difference in fuel consumption between a high-consumption truck and a low-consumption one can be as much as 25%. With Hypermile, the average driving behavior is expected to improve significantly, potentially leading to substantial savings within a fleet. For a truck that drives approximately 10,000 km per month, a 10% reduction in fuel consumption could save up to 22 tons of CO₂ emissions annually, depending on operating conditions.
Through this initiative, Groupe Blondel positions itself as a pioneer in AI technologies in road transport. The company aims to leverage innovations as a means to enhance energy efficiency, safety, and competitiveness, as well as to reduce environmental impact. CEO Jérôme Juteau emphasizes the company’s responsibility to actively shape changes in transportation rather than merely reacting.
Outlook on autonomous vehicles
Beyond the Hypermile technology, the partnership with Konboi opens the possibility of initiating a second phase of experimentation with autonomous vehicles. Konboi is working on a prototype aimed at gradually increasing the autonomy level of trucks, particularly on highway routes. The goal is not to replace the driver but to promote an „augmented human-technology interaction.“ The AI could take over certain repetitive or less complex driving segments, while the driver remains responsible for the first and last miles, as well as for monitoring and customer interactions.
Beigui explains that the aim is not to completely replace humans but to create an „augmented human-technology interaction.“ For instance, the AI could drive on the highway, allowing the driver to focus on the more demanding sections.
Founded in late 2019, Konboi develops solutions for physical artificial intelligence in road transport. The team consists of experts in autonomous driving and works on both energy optimization of vehicles and the gradual automation of driving. For Groupe Blondel, the environmentally friendly transformation of transport depends not only on the development of new propulsion technologies but also on the integration of intelligent systems, data analysis, and precise optimization of uses.
