Self-driving trucks are cruising down I-45 between Dallas and Houston

[Jim__]

I'm not sure the US economy is ready for this.

From TechXplore:

...

Kodiak Robotics is putting down roots in Texas, and has become one of the first self-driving trucking companies operating in the state. The Dallas-to-Houston (and back) route features a safety driver behind the wheel.

And humans take over for more challenging stretches between freeways and final destinations. Once Kodiak masters the "middle mile"—freeway driving that's a large part of most routes—it'll tackle the non-highway driving that's proven difficult to other driverless startups.

"As hard as it is to navigate city streets, autonomous vehicles are much closer to being able to drive on more structured interstate highways, which have no jaywalking pedestrians, no aggressive cyclists, and no runaway pets," Kodiak said in a blog post announcing the news.

...

FedEx Office will begin testing an automated delivery system of their own in North Texas: robots that can deliver groceries or a fresh pizza to a customer's home. The pilot program in Plano and Frisco is expected to kick off this summer, and the first deliveries should follow in 2020.

[walkingman]

1. I expect much safer than being on the road with a shitklicker in a dually pickup.

[trof]

2. Interesting take on autonomous vehicles:

Heard this on NPR a while back.
"They don't have to be perfect. They just have to be safer than a human driver. And they already are."

I would have thought that huge cargo ships would have been first.
No roads to stay on, just shipping routes. A little more leeway there.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. I would think with all the other crew that a ship requires

... the pilot is the least of their worries or expense.

I think a truck driver would be a bigger target for automation due to his or her percentage of the total expenses

[Wellstone ruled]

3. Tesla runs two between Freemont California and

Sparks Nevada. And they do have a Driver in case of similiar Traffic issues . Can imagine the Donnor and Reno being some what of a challenge.

[TomSlick]

5. I'm a great fan of autonomous vehicles.

Every traffic accident becomes a product liability case against the deep-pocket manufacturer. Let's do it!