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PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)
Wed May 6, 2015, 01:50 PM May 2015

First Self-Driving Semi Hits American Roads

Self-driving cars seem likely enough; there’s still several tech and legal hurdles to clear, not to mention the question of how much they’ll cost, but most experts inside and out of the auto industry see them as inevitable given enough time. Now, Daimler’s Freightliner unit wants to push long-haul trucking in the same direction.

Unveiled atop the Hoover Dam, the Freightliner Inspiration Truck is the first semi granted a license in the United States for autonomous driving, for tests on Nevada highways (note the special license plate in the photos below.) Equipped with arrays of cameras and radars, along with extensive software controls, the two Inspiration Trucks built by Freightliner can steer in a lane, maintain speeds and brake without human intervention at highway speeds. It also has to know when to alert the driver to take control; that driver of course has to handle all non-highway duties as well.

Read the rest at: https://www.yahoo.com/autos/first-self-driving-semi-hits-american-roads-118281496057.html

10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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First Self-Driving Semi Hits American Roads (Original Post) PoliticAverse May 2015 OP
What could possibly go wrong..... dixiegrrrrl May 2015 #1
Seems like advanced cruise control upaloopa May 2015 #2
Suppose when the warning system goes off and alerts the driver justhanginon May 2015 #3
In fifty years ruffburr May 2015 #4
this concerns me when we hear about Russian and Chinese hackers penetrating the WH email system, and Bill USA May 2015 #5
Or you could just make sure truckers get enough sleep. KittyWampus May 2015 #6
Three words; denbot May 2015 #7
Exactly right. n/t MBS May 2015 #8
Wired magazine article on the subject... PoliticAverse May 2015 #9
Ask denbot, HERETIC, or Toby Mopar151 May 2015 #10

justhanginon

(3,290 posts)
3. Suppose when the warning system goes off and alerts the driver
Wed May 6, 2015, 02:16 PM
May 2015

and he hits the snooze alarm. Why in the hell would you spend all that money on complex systems to drive the vehicle and pay the driver to simply sit there just in case? If he is not actually driving the vehicle what does that do to his reaction time in an emergency?
Maybe it would be better to fix the damn potholes and upgrade the deteriorating highway system for safety.

ruffburr

(1,190 posts)
4. In fifty years
Wed May 6, 2015, 02:43 PM
May 2015

There will be no more manual labor jobs, The corporate dream, No wages, No pensions ,Few people, just 90%profit.
If one believes that the wealthy will be magnanimous and care for their fellow man all I can say is, Good Luck with that.

Bill USA

(6,436 posts)
5. this concerns me when we hear about Russian and Chinese hackers penetrating the WH email system, and
Wed May 6, 2015, 03:33 PM
May 2015
various DoD computer systems. CAn you imagine Russians taking control of one of these trucks? Have you seen how Russians drive (on U-Tube)?!?!?!!


denbot

(9,899 posts)
7. Three words;
Wed May 6, 2015, 04:16 PM
May 2015

Steer tire blowout!

As a Class A driver, I do not feel threatened in the least by self driving technology. The liability from one incident in traffic will deep six the tech as the company won't have a sacrificial driver to hide behind.

Mopar151

(9,980 posts)
10. Ask denbot, HERETIC, or Toby
Wed May 6, 2015, 10:51 PM
May 2015

There is enough associated paperwork with many cargoes, that the bosses can shift a lot of it to the driver in his "psuedo-drive" time

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