Autonomous vehicles are becoming more of a reality in cities across the country. The most recognizable of these new breed of vehicles are the Google cars that traverse city streets, rural roads and highways alike. However, passenger vehicles aren't the only ones targeted for autonomous operation. Semi-truck industry news outlets are talking about new guidelines published by the government regarding the manufacture and use of autonomous semi-trucks. Proponents of this move say that trucking companies, truck drivers and other motorists will benefit in three important ways.
Cost Savings
Trucking companies invest a great deal on recruiting, training and retaining drivers. Trucks that operate autonomously, however, require no driver, therefore all of these expenses are effectively eliminated. However, this is a scenario that won't materialize for quite some time. A more likely scenario in the near future are platoon style vehicles. The concept is to have one human driver operate a truck that then leads up to two others to the cargo's destination. Therefore, the company's costs, as far as driver wages and benefits go, are effectively reduced to one-third of the current cost. …show more content…
The reality is, there won't be fully driverless semi-trucks for quite some time, in fact, the first aren't expected to hit the roadways until 2030. However, drivers are currently reaping the benefits of this advancement in trucking technology. Driver assistance technology such as such as radar sensors, cameras, and automatic emergency braking systems are already in use in some trucks. Crash avoidance systems are another vital function of autonomous vehicles that already exist.
Improved
Cost Savings
Trucking companies invest a great deal on recruiting, training and retaining drivers. Trucks that operate autonomously, however, require no driver, therefore all of these expenses are effectively eliminated. However, this is a scenario that won't materialize for quite some time. A more likely scenario in the near future are platoon style vehicles. The concept is to have one human driver operate a truck that then leads up to two others to the cargo's destination. Therefore, the company's costs, as far as driver wages and benefits go, are effectively reduced to one-third of the current cost. …show more content…
The reality is, there won't be fully driverless semi-trucks for quite some time, in fact, the first aren't expected to hit the roadways until 2030. However, drivers are currently reaping the benefits of this advancement in trucking technology. Driver assistance technology such as such as radar sensors, cameras, and automatic emergency braking systems are already in use in some trucks. Crash avoidance systems are another vital function of autonomous vehicles that already exist.
Improved