The developers of I-See, a system for Volvo Trucks that operates on autopilot by handling gear-changes, have received the 2013 Volvo Technology Award.

The I-See system, which uses gradients in a fuel-efficient manner, reduces fuel consumption on long-distance journeys by around 5%.

The developers of the I-See system and winners of the award are Anders Eriksson, who headed the development group, with Johan Bjernetun, Henrik Andersson and Johan Axelsson.

Volvo Group president and CEO Olof Persson said that the system helps customers to reduce their fuel costs, while decreasing the impact on the environment.

"The system helps customers to reduce their fuel costs, while decreasing the impact on the environment."

"The development of I-See has resulted in seven patents and is an example of really top-class engineering work," Persson said.

I-See is not dependent on maps and obtains the latest information, with a capacity to recall around 4,000 gradients, corresponding to a distance of 5,000km.

The system has the technology to save the topography information in the truck the first time it drives on a hilly road and uses that data in the next trip.

It has a wireless dispatch conveyed to a central server, which automatically sends information when another truck equipped with I-See is about to drive the same stretch, in order to ensure that the hills are negotiated in the best possible manner the first time.

Award-winner Eriksson said that the system uses the vehicle’s kinetic energy to accelerate at the right time prior to the ascent to reduce the number of downshifts.

It disengages the vehicle just before reaching the brow of the hill and uses the energy for braking down the next hill.

The award was presented by Persson, in conjunction with AB Volvo’s Annual General Meeting.