Uber’s not just trialing self-driving cars – an Uber self-driving 18-wheeler just made its first delivery. Tech comes from a startup called Otto, which Uber bought recently for $680 million. At least initially, the the autonomous system will drive between cities, with a human driving the last few miles.
In many countries, there is a shortage of truck drivers.1,2,3 Self-driving trucks can help in two ways:
1. a limited number of truck drivers can make more deliveries in a day if they only have to drive the last few miles
2. last-mile delivery turns interstate trucking into local work for the human driver – which may make the work a better option for more people
https://www.wired.com/2016/10/ubers-self-driving-truck-makes-first-delivery-50000-beers/?mbid=nl_102516_p3&CNDID=
DAF, Daimler, IVECO, MAN, Scania, & Volvo in Europe, have something similar in their Platooning tech.
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1 The Age: “Wheels not in motion: Australia running short of truckies”, http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/wheels-not-in-motion-australia-running-short-of-truckies-20160506-goo7o5.html
2 Business Insider: “There's A Huge Shortage Of Truck Drivers In America – Here's Why The Problem Is Only Getting Worse”, http://www.businessinsider.com.au/americas-truck-driver-shortage-2014-7
3 Wall Street Journal: “Wanted in Europe: More Truck Drivers”, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443524904577651624294475232 / Uber self-driving truck makes first delivery 50,000 beers self driving truck cab of an 18-wheeler cruising through Colorado 55 mph tractor trailer tractor-trailer tractor prime mover lorry truck $30,000 worth hardware software San Francisco startup Otto world’s first autonomous truck delivery drive mundane Fort Collins merging onto Interstate 25 Otto driver punched switch labeled engage autonomous mode engaged warning chime truck trundled 120 miles south Colorado Springs Otto Uber bought last summer $680 million technology works only on highway maintains safe following distance changes lanes only when absolutely necessary Tesla Autopilot Otto system offers true ‘Level 4’ autonomy big rig hits interstate human deal with paperwork phone catch a few Zs technology ready start commercial pilots interstate runs Otto co-founder Lior Ron continue to develop the tech ready to encounter every condition on the road make trucking a local profession local work local occupation imagine a future trucks virtual train software rail highway interstate stop at designated depots humans drive the last few miles into town drivers harbor pilots bringing the ship to port Otto’s hardware works any truck with automatic transmission retrofit three LIDAR laser detection units cab and trailer radar bolts to the bumper high-precision camera sits above the windshield hints of a human-free two red half dollar-sized buttons shut off the autonomous system steering wheel sleeper cab behind the seats on/off switch labelled Engage bank of computers turns all that data into driving directions Uber engineer autonomous cars are sexy trucks are more practical here sooner than cars industry desperately needs them trucking industry hauls 70 percent nation’s freight 10.5 billion tons annually doesn’t have enough drivers American Trucking Association shortfall 48,000 drivers hiring spree autonomous technology make the roads safer 400,0000 trucks crash each year federal statistics killing 4,000 people human error is to blame self-driving technologies improve safety reduce emissions improve operational efficiencies shipments James Sembrot handles logistics Anheuser-Busch Otto October test run Sean McNally spokesman American Trucking Association autonomous technology can improve safety efficiency turning 40-ton rig over to a computer federal government working prototype fleet trucks interstates 101 280 San Francisco Bay Area engineers push software tweaks weekly major updates monthly focusing on the basics smoothing out acceleration braking improving lane control longer-term goals include predicting how other drivers are likely to behave navigating construction zones dealing with hazards sudden bad weather go-anywhere do-anything autonomy ultimate goal tackling more complicated city environments parking foreseeable future driver will remain an essential part of the system Otto deal with the stress of driving /
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