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Fleets of the Future: The Chameleon By Diane Mettler It would have been hard for a fleet operator in the 1970s to imagine the sleek LGN rigs of today. It’s equally hard to imagine the cargo transport truck of 2030, but Haishan Deng gave it his best shot. Deng designed the innovative concept truck called The Chameleon, which has garnered numerous design honors, including a VDA (German Association ofAutomotive Industry) award and Spark award. Insect-like body The Chameleon’s segmented body allows it to adjust its size to fit the container. Deng says he drew from nature, and the articulated body of a centipede was the inspiration for the unique framework. The body of the truck is made of a soft tarpaulin — strong enough to protect the cargo, but resilient enough to absorb impacts in case of accidents. Also, the truck’s soft sides allow the body to fold up on itself when not fully loaded. Cool cab If this truck wasn’t cool enough, the cab can be lifted upward (over its cargo) instead of being built into the frame like in most conventional vehicles. This enables automated front loading without the need for additional support. And the truck’s versatility should increase its ability to deliver loads on congested, narrow streets. “With the fabric-engulfed cargo bay, the truck can not only carry a container but also diverse kinds of goods. So it can be used as a multiple utility freight vehicle in the future,” said Deng. Fuel efficient Then there’s one more big selling point — Deng’s truck will use substantially less fuel because it will weigh half what traditional trucks weigh. It will be a number of years before we see trucks like these speeding down the interstate, but we’re lucky to have designers like Deng who are already designing them for us. You can see more of Haishan Deng’s design on haishandesign.com	In This Issue Up Front News, Trends & Analysis New Items The risks of delayed action Supply Chain Is your service provider compliant? Does that belong in my port? Features Grading the carriers: How are your service providers doing? Gateway at a glance: China Ports & infrastructure Port Productivity Tools: Six success stories U.S. ports downsize staffs in new economy Port Products RTGs and reach stackers Commentary What’s on the horizon? On the Horizon Fleets of the future: The Chameleon Casualties
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Fleets of the Future: The Chameleon