first licensed self-driving big-rig truck (Photo : Twitter )
The tech world has mostly focused on self-driving cars. However, self-driving big-rigs could actually have more short-term potential for self-driving technology, due to safety being a major trucking industry issue.
This week Daimler Trucks North America became the first company to license a self-driving long-haul truck, in Nevada. Governor Brian Sandoval issued a "Freightliner Inspiration Truck" license for road use within the state, according to Engadget.
The semi truck's "Highway Pilot" system includes equipment such as computer hardware, radars, and cameras. Most other autonomous vehicles contain these features.
Safety could be the main reason why the trucking industry might accept self-driving tech. Wolfgang Bernhard is a Daimler board member. He says that long-haul trucks create the biggest opportunity for self-driving tech.
The reason is based on the sky-high hours and miles they rack up. As a result, the self-driving big truck "benefits" more than cars.
The Daimler self-driving big rig allows drivers to take control over the vehicle. However, they can perform other duties or read while sitting behind the wheel.
Big-rig driver fatigue has become one of the biggest issues of the huge trucks. Daimler officials explain that a self-driving semi could be used for both highway driving and stop-and-go traffic.
Martin Daum is the CEO of Daimler's American unit. He recently said in an interview regarding big-rig accidents that any injury that a truck causes is "one too many," according to The Hamilton Spectator.
Daimler's unit Freightliner recently tested four experimental self-driving trucks. The semis drove six months for 10,000 miles, throughout Nevada.
Daum explains that self-driving semis requiring no human operator will "probably" be available in 15 or 15 years. So semi drivers' jobs are still safe.
