Self-Driving Trucks Coming Soon?

Do we need humans to drive or could a computer do better? Look no farther than self-driving trucks.

We will probably find out in the next few years, because multiple companies are now testing self-driving trucks. Although many of the technical problems are still unresolved, proponents claim that self-driving trucks will be safer and less costly. “This system often drives better than I do,” says Greg Murphy, a professional truck driver of 40 years. He now serves as a safety backup driver during tests of self-driving trucks by Otto, a San Francisco company that outfits trucks with the equipment they need to drive themselves.

How do they work?

Self-driving vehicles are defined as vehicles that never require a human driver to take control to safely operate the vehicle. They do this with a combination of sensors and software to control and navigate the vehicle. Currently in the United States, the only form of self-driving trucks that is completely legal is partially autonomous vehicles. These vehicles have some level of automation, but still require human drivers for perfect safety. Examples of such automation include brake and lane assistance.

Most self driving systems use detection systems like radar to generate a map of their surroundings with sensors like laser beams and cameras. The software uses the maps to plot a potential path and then activates the vehicle’s actuators, which are responsible for steering, breaking and acceleration, to move the vehicle accordingly.

The future and implications

One of the companies revolutionizing autonomous trucks is Uber. Their trucks started making commercial deliveries in 2017 and they plan to expand what they feel is a “natural target” for automation. However, there is some consternation about what self-driving trucks mean for the future of the transportation industry and the country as a whole. Fully autonomous trucks can drive for longer periods of time without stopping and some are considering what the environmental effects of that could be. Others point to the critical role that cyber security could play in self-driving vehicles. If they are on the road with human drivers, it’s important to make sure they cannot be tampered with to maintain safety.

References

Freedman, D.(2017). Self-Driving Trucks. Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603493/10-breakthrough-technologies-2017-self-driving-trucks/

(Feb. 21, 2018). Self-Driving Cars Explained. Retrieved from https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/how-self-driving-cars-work#.WsI1By7wZhE

Wakabayashi, D. (Mar. 6.  2018). Uber’s Self-Driving Trucks Hit the Highway. Retrieved from www.nytimes.com/2018/03/06/technology/uber-self-driving-trucks.html