The future of autonomous trucks

Automation is on the horizon, and it goes far beyond self-driving vehicles. In fact, in 2015, PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated that 44%, or roughly 5.1 million, Australian jobs would be at high risk to computerisation and technology in the ensuing 20 years. The company recommended at that time to start shifting the country’s workforce toward science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-related occupations, and that transitioning even 1% of people would result in $57.4 GDP over 20 years.

More specifically in the truck industry, Rio Tinto tried out automated trucks in its Pilbara mining operation around the same time as the PwC study and found an increase in productivity of around 12%. Trucking companies are also considering looking toward autonomous technologies in order to combat driver fatigue, which can result in not only the injury and death of truck operators, but also other drivers and pedestrians.

With all of this in mind, many truck manufacturers are working on autonomous trucks with safety drivers onboard in case something goes awry, but they do have the ultimate goal of replacing at least some operators with entirely self-driving vehicles. While some of these technologies are a bit further out in terms of hitting the mainstream, manufacturers are performing real-world tests and autonomous trucks are closer than ever to becoming a reality.

Parties involved

Many truck manufacturers are working on autonomous driving technologies, and they’re all approaching the challenges associated with them in unique ways. Daimler, for example, is testing out a system called Highway Pilot; this is being used in Freightliner trucks in the United States and in Mercedes-Benz trucks (as part of Future Truck 2025) in Germany. The driver can initiate Highway Pilot once they’re on the highway and the system will follow the speed limit, keep proper distance from other vehicles, and even handle stop-and-go- traffic. However, the truck still relies on the driver for changing lanes, passing other vehicles, and taking exits.

In the United States, Embark is taking a similar approach with its self-driving truck. Embarks’ autonomous truck is specifically designed for driving on the interstate from Texas to California, a trip spanning over 1,000 kilometres, across a defined route. It still requires a driver for safety purposes, but the goal is to reach a point where the driver isn’t necessary at all.

Nikola has already been testing comparable technologies, and is now decreasing the weight of its self-driving trucks to ensure they can carry as much freight as possible over a longer distance than competing trucks. Uber is also working on self-driving trucks, specifically ones designed for long-haul commercial trucking on highways.

In addition to on-highway driving, some companies are working on solutions for more urban areas. Volvo, for example, is working on self-driving refuse and mining trucks, in addition to trucks for long-haul applications. Volkswagen recently teamed up with Toyota and its Hino Motors division to work on electric and autonomous vehicle solutions. However, this is only the tip of iceberg as many other organisations are looking to jump into this new technology market.

Keeping autonomous trucks on the right path

The technology necessary to make autonomous trucks work is complex, which is why they require rigorous testing and consistent updates. The way that the truck’s navigation system actually sees the road, the obstacles around it, and the path ahead is through a combination of sensors, cameras, GPS, and LIDAR (light detection and ranging), among other technologies.

The sensors and cameras can detect moving cars, non-moving objects, pedestrians, and anything else nearby to help the computer make decisions on what to do out on the road. Lidar is involved because it can scan the surroundings in 3D in order to detect distance from other vehicles and more. Then, traditional GPS is used to pinpoint the truck’s location on a given road and ensure it is headed toward the right destination. All of these systems work together, with varying degrees of human intervention depending on the manufacturer, to keep the truck safely on its path.

Potential for platooning

One of the biggest potential advantages for autonomous driving technology is platooning, which stands to help alleviate driver shortage issues while moving more freight during each trip. In a platoon formation, there is a lead truck with a driver making decisions on when to change lanes, when to speed up or slow down, and when to exit. Typically, two or more autonomous trucks follow behind the lead truck, carrying no passengers and following the leader’s every move.

The platooned trucks that follow behind the lead truck do however have a little bit of agency when it comes to interacting with the environment around them. If, for example, another vehicle wants to pass the platoon but can’t do so in one swift move, the trucks will “know” to decelerate, leave enough space for the outside vehicle to move in, wait for it to leave, and then return to normal operation. Scania is one top truck manufacturer that is working on this technology with a primary goal of reducing fuel consumption and improving overall efficiency.

Safety concerns

One of the biggest challenges with autonomous trucks or any other type of self-driving vehicle is safety. There have already been a few deaths associated with self-driving vehicles, including one in the United States where an Uber vehicle with a safety driver inside hit and killed a pedestrian on a bicycle in Arizona. In another accident, a driver was killed while his Tesla Model X was in Autopilot mode. Following the Arizona accident, Uber halted all self-driving operations, and accidents like these stand to hinder autonomous driving going mainstream. Technologies are advancing apace, and momentum has not stopped entirely.

Moving forward

Even with the tragedy in Arizona, which wasn’t directly related to its self-driving truck project, Uber continues to work on autonomous technologies. Back in 2016, the company took part in a test where a truck drove 193 kilometres on the highway autonomously in order to deliver beer in Colorado. Volvo has proven that its self-driving trucks can move from hub to hub in more confined areas, like harbors, but it is looking forward to testing its trucks further on highways in dedicated lanes. The company admits that actual production for these types of technologies may still be years away, but company’s aren’t shying away from automation. All of these truck manufactures are dedicated to iterating on current solutions and finding ways to overcome safety concerns and other challenges along the way.

Embark

Embark’s self-driving truck takes over once a piece of freight is ready to go on the Interstate and then can take it along a 1,000-kilometre stretch of road between Texas to California.

Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025

Mercedes-Benz’s Future Truck 2025 is a driverless truck that takes advantage of Daimler’s Highway Pilot technology, which as of right now can handle maintaining speed limits and distances between other vehicles, but still requires human intervention for changing lanes, passing other cars, taking exits, and more.

Scania Platoon

Scania illustrates just one example of the platooning concept where there is a truck with a lead driver with several other trucks following behind it running autonomously.

Volvo self-driving refuse truck

Volvo’s self-driving refuse truck can sense obstacles in the space around it and actually move along a set route as a worker grabs trash bins and loads the rear compartment.