Freightliner has been given the green light for a cutting-edge self-driving truck.
Those amazed, amused or simply concerned by Google’s cutesy little self-driving car have to admit, this is a much bigger deal.
Nevada has approved the Inspiration truck for use on public roads, giving American trucking journalists a space-age sampler near Las Vegas.
Wild winds during the evaluation worked in Freightliner’s favour, a company representative saying the conditions highlighted the benefits of turning the truck over to its complex Highway Pilot computer system.
As soon as the computer determined that its detection systems were ready to take control, the driver could sit back and let the truck do its thing.
Journalists involved in the evaluation had to pass a specialised test to qualify to ‘drive’ an autonomous commercial vehicle in the state of Nevada.
Writer Jack Roberts said letting a heavy duty truck like Inspiration take control was a “decidedly strange feeling” the first time.
“Your hands hover over the wheel for a few seconds waiting to grab it if something goes wrong,” he said. “Except nothing goes wrong.”
James Menzies from Canada’s TruckNews.com was impressed with how wheel Inspiration coped with the high winds.
“It was a perfect day to demonstrate its benefits, because the gusting crosswinds we were driving through can make driving tiring,” he Menzies. “Highway Pilot took control and was able to handle the wind while I sat with my hands in my lap.”
The system uses a stereo camera and radio array with lane-keeping and collision-prevention function, braking, steering and accelerating as required to safely maintain a preset speed.
Freightliner diplomatically pointed out that Inspiration won’t be replacing drivers – they’re still needed to get from the depot to the highway, and to change lanes.
