Effects of Vehicle Type and Inter-Vehicle Distance on Aerodynamic Characteristics during Vehicle Platooning

Considering the future development in vehicle platooning technology and the multiple models pertaining to complex road environments involving freight cars and general vehicles, the speed and distance of a vehicle model were set as variables in this study. This study aimed at analyzing the effect of currents acting differently using SolidWorks Flow Simulation tool for the vehicle platooning between different models of trucks that are currently being studied actively and sports utility vehicle (SUV) whose market share has been increasing, in order to evaluate the changes in the drag coefficient and their causes. Additionally, purpose-based vehicle (PBV) presented by Hyundai Motor (Ulsan, Korea) during the CES 2020 was considered. In this study, we found that the shape of the rear side of the leading vehicle reduces the drag coefficient of the following vehicle by washing the wake, similar to a spoiler at the rear. The rear side area of the leading vehicle forms a wide range of low pressures, which increases the drag coefficient effect of the following vehicle. The overall height of the leading vehicle also generates a distribution of low pressures above the rear of the vehicle. This reduces the impact of low pressures on the overall height of the following vehicle. The shape of the front of the following vehicle enables the wake of the leading vehicle, which involves low pressures, to inhibit the Bernoulli effect of the following vehicle. Furthermore, the front of the following vehicle continues to be affected by the wake of the leading vehicle, resulting in an increase in the drag coefficient reduction.