Just introduced in mid-November, Tesla has unveiled its new electric Semi, a Class 8 semi-tractor that can haul 40 tons and travel 500 miles between charges. Enhanced Autopilot technology comes standard with each unit, which effectively means that every new Semi will be ready to operate at a higher level of automation than current vehicles… Read More
Which Truck Manufacturers Will Put Driverless Technology Into Production First?
In April 2017, Navigant Research released a ranked list of the manufacturers most likely to achieve production of autonomous motor vehicles capable of operating at Level 4 automation within ten years — fully driverless operation under defined conditions, such as clear weather, low congestion, or controlled-access highways. Though the list emphasized passenger vehicles, with Ford,… Read More
Can Driverless Trucking Overcome Legislative and Regulatory Roadblocks?
The commercial trucking industry has not fared especially well this year in its efforts to gain congressional and regulatory approvals toward adoption of driverless and assisted driving technologies. As we observed earlier in the year, the economic incentives for the industry have spurred significant technological developments that can make highly automated trucking a reality in… Read More
State Legislatures and Driverless Technology Issues
This blog has previously observed that automated truck platooning is likely to emerge as one of the first practical applications of driverless automotive technology. When two or more trucks can follow one another closely by means of digitally connected braking and accelerating systems, fuel savings for both trucks can range from 5 to 10 percent… Read More
Reinventing Trucking Careers Through Driverless Technology
With industry deregulation in the 1980s, the trucking industry has seen drastic changes to the profession. What was once a coveted and well-paid profession, has been plagued by problems that include long hours, low pay, hazardous working conditions, and extended periods away from home. Combined with dispatch problems that take them to wrong destinations and… Read More
Cybersecurity Concerns Pose Hurdle for Driverless Technology
In a widely publicized experiment two years ago, a journalist driving around St. Louis lost control of his Jeep Cherokee to white-hat hackers working from a laptop. From an apartment miles away, the hackers operated the vehicle’s air conditioner, radio and windshield wipers. The experiment then turned downright scary when the hackers disabled the accelerator… Read More
Making Sense of the Federal Automated Vehicles Policy
The new Federal Automated Vehicles Policy (FAVP) reflects the latest regulatory attempt to guide the development and deployment of driverless motor vehicle technology in the United States. Issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in September 2016, most of its provisions went into immediate effect, but none of them are mandatory. The NHTSA… Read More
Is the Insurance Industry Ready for Highly Automated Vehicles?
Perhaps a better question might be: when will the insurance industry be ready for driverless vehicle operation? Right now, there’s no question that motor vehicle insurers are nowhere close to addressing the coverage and liability issues that highly automated vehicles (HAV) are likely to present for both consumer and commercial drivers, owners and fleet operators…. Read More
How Soon Will The Trucking Industry Adopt Driverless Technologies?
Just about every week, we see fresh news about the latest developments that will bring driverless vehicle operation to American highways. While passenger auto manufacturers continue to make strides toward automated driving, it’s the trucking industry that is currently expected to adopt driverless technology first. It’s not that anyone will see trucks without drivers zooming… Read More
Driverless Technology and Highway Truck Platooning
Powerful economic incentives, wi-fi communications technology and American entrepreneurship have all combined to place the commercial trucking industry at the leading edge of the coming driverless vehicle revolution. While the American driving public is not likely to see truly driverless trucks careening down the interstate any time soon, truck platoons are expected to become an… Read More
