Daimler has been granted permission to test autonomous trucks on public roads by the state of Nevada.
Making the announcement last week in Las Vegas, Daimler Trucks boss Dr Wolfgang Bernhard described the news as “a short drive for man, and a long haul for mankind”.
He said Nevada’s decision would allow the global truck maker to gather real world data and help to make autonomous trucks a production reality.
The vehicle in question has been christened Inspiration, and is based on the USA’s best-selling truck, the Freightliner Cascadia. It uses the same Highway Pilot technology that features in Mercedes-Benz’s Future Truck 2025, just tweaked to cope with North America’s roads.
Although commonly referred to as “driverless”, the Freightliner Inspiration is actually a level 3 autonomous vehicle, meaning a qualified HGV driver must be sat behind the wheel at all times. Daimler describes it as more of a “partnership with the driver”.
When out on the open road the driver is notified that it is safe to run autonomously, at which point two radars scan the road ahead while a camera linked to the steering ensures that the vehicle remains within its lane. Blue lights on the front of the truck alert other road users that it is running autonomously. If the Highway Pilot is confused by road markings or adverse weather conditions, control is immediately handed over to the driver. Likewise the driver can take full control of the truck whenever they desire.
Daimler, which plans to put autonomous trucks into production in 10 years, is hopeful that the German government will follow suit and also allow on-road testing. It believes autonomous vehicles are safer and more fuel efficient than regular trucks.
- Read the full story in next week’s Commercial Motor magazine (21 May). Why not subscribe today and get twelve issues for £12 pounds?
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