Freightliner unveils autonomous truck

Large truck maker Freightliner will be unveiling the first US legal autonomous truck this evening (5/5). In just over 3 1/2 hours, the official unveiling will take place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The truck is legal to drive on Nevada roads for testing. It's been thought that Europe would lead the way in this technology, as Daimler demonstrated a system already there, but thanks to Nevada making this legal, they moved the development to the US.

Freightliner did it.

If you’re one of the many in trucking who scoffed at the idea of a commercially-viable self-driving truck, or at best figured such technology was years — if not decades — away, you need to reset your expectations.

At a press event today at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway outside Las Vegas, NV, Freightliner, in conjunction with the State of Nevada and its governor, Brian Sandovall, launched the Inspiration, a new, autonomous truck. The truck is commercially viable. But more importantly, thanks to legislative steps taken by Nevada, it is completely legal to operate Nevada highways.

www.truckersnews.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

yup , Zap ! I bet you would like to have this Rig ! for your long hauls eh ?

a reply to: Kapusta

Dear god take my money and give me one.

The problem with all autonomous vehicles is that there is going to come a situation where a vehicle pulls out in front of them, and the computer has to analyze whether to smash the vehicle, or swerve to the shoulder.

What happens when there are 15 elementary school kids waiting for their bus on the shoulder/curb???

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Kapusta

Dear god take my money and give me one.

lol I knew it ! , No more down time ! time to get rid of your old rig !!!!!

Well we enjoyed your down time when your rig was getting worked on.

I mean long nights in ATS chat I lost my weapons virginity to you hahah

back on topic I hope you get that rig dude ! it looks sweet man

Interesting. Once places like Walmart Distribution centers link up with these things it's Buh-Bye drivers. Technology at it's finest. Robot trucks. They'll construct special loading docks for these trucks to "dock" to and everything will be computerized from warehouse to store. Of course that's at least 10 years down the road. Very interesting, they are not wasting any time getting this up and running. Computers don't need 8 hours of sleep every day to keep rolling down the highway.

a reply to: AreUKiddingMe

There's going to be a need for someone on the truck for awhile yet. Similar to the plans for large aircraft, there will always be at least one person on the truck to monitor everything if nothing else.

a reply to: Kapusta

Speaking of down time..... We're going into the shop as soon as we get rid of this load.

a reply to: 8675309jenny

With children present like that , by law, the speed limit would only be 25 mph. Even a tuck can stop very quickly at that speed.

Top Gear did a thing, (a race) with an American military truck over rough terrain some time ago, I have to say it was impressive as given. The big deal though is not that the truck was able to do avoidance so very well, it is that there were no givens as to what might happen if something hit the truck out of the blue,

a reply to: smurfy

That's why there's always going to be a need for someone on the truck, even if it's doing most of the work. There are some situations that a computer just can't handle.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Kapusta

Speaking of down time..... We're going into the shop as soon as we get rid of this load.

Sheesh man ! the Truck gods have no mercy on you !

a reply to: Kapusta

We're in a 2015 now. We got it in January with almost 134,000 on it, and since then we're at over 206,000 miles. It's a little hard on anything. It seems like a fairly easy fix though, so shouldn't be too long.

Just out of curiosity...

Is the truck's name Optimus?

How exactly did the plot to Maximum Overdrive start out?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Kapusta

We're in a 2015 now. We got it in January with almost 134,000 on it, and since then we're at over 206,000 miles. It's a little hard on anything. It seems like a fairly easy fix though, so shouldn't be too long.

Zap that's low miles for a rig ! are you sure the OD had the correct miles ? lol

But damm!! you're doing some serious Trucking !

That's what we call pounding the ground !

a reply to: Kapusta

Our last truck, we signed for it in October 2012, with 206,000 on it, and turned it in January of this year, with 760,000 on it.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Kapusta

Our last truck, we signed for it in October 2012, with 206,000 on it, and turned it in January of this year, with 760,000 on it.

wow ! so is this an old wives tale , that rigs get broke in around 1mil miles ? sort of like a car hitting 100k miles ?

I heard rigs run the best around that mileage?

a reply to: Kapusta

About 150-200,000 is when they're broken in. By a million they've had at least an inline overhaul performed, if not a new engine put in.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Kapusta

About 150-200,000 is when they're broken in. By a million they've had at least an inline overhaul performed, if not a new engine put in.

so ill take it as an old tale ...


my common sens figured as much !

Some interesting information about how the system works and more.

www.freightlinerinspiration.com...