Driverless semi’s, also known as autonomous trucking, will be taking to the roads before we know it- some companies are testing the driverless model as this is being written.
CBS 60 Minutes recently aired an episode regarding the future of driverless truck, and we want to help explain what this new technology means, and what the future of our roads could look like.
TuSimple is a privately-held, global, autonomous trucking company with operations in the United States and China – they are the company who is currently testing this new technology. During test drives, a person is still sitting in the driver seat, but he/she is not actually operating the semi. TuSimple believes they will be able to roll out the first demonstration runs without drivers in 2021.
The autonomous semi is equipped with a network of sensors, cameras and radar devices strapped to the outside of the truck, and it is all hardwired to an internal AI (artificial intelligence) supercomputer, which drives the truck. It’s self-contained, which means a bad wi-fi signal would not affect the semi. The truck can potentially see forward over half a mile, and can drive effortlessly in the rain, at night and through snow.
The driverless truck can go coast-to-coast in two days with only stops to refuel, whereas a live driver can take up to four days. The autonomous trucks make twenty (20) decisions per second regarding the road.
It’s likely you know someone who is involved in the trucking industry, whether they are a driver or something else. Driverless trucks threaten to “jack-knife” an entire $800 billion industry.
Is the risk worth it to potentially have safer roads? Leave your comments down below.
And, if you’ve been injured in a trucking accident, contact Kaiman & Crahan today – Your Louisville Attorneys!