Autonomous
Autonomous technologies now drive significant change in trucking and freight transportation. Transport Topics autonomous coverage provides a comprehensive look at that change. It provides the latest details on deployment concepts such as advanced driver-assist systems, transfer hubs, teleoperations, platooning and off-road automation and latest analysis of the companies who are manufacturing, adopting and investing in these technologies. Readers can follow the impact such deployment has on everything from policy and infrastructure initiatives to highway congestion, fuel consumption, fleet management, driver management and business investment.
China’s ‘Uber-for-Trucks’ Breaks Even En Route to IPO
China’s Uber-for-trucks startup Full Truck Alliance said it’s weighing an initial public offering after breaking even from May, defying a sectorwide downturn.
Volvo Improves Braking, Detection With Updated Driver Assist System
DUBLIN, Va. — Volvo Trucks North America introduced an updated version of its driver assistance system that increases the speed from which the brakes can stop the truck without driver input, and which improves the system’s recognition of when the driver switches lanes to avoid a vehicle in its path.
Michigan Gets $7.5 Million to Test Self-Driving Cars
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding a $7.5 million grant to the City of Detroit, the State of Michigan, the University of Michigan and the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti to boost research, development and testing of self-driving cars.
Ohio Announces DOT Grant for Automated Driving Program
The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded an Ohio-based team of industry, academic and community partners a $7.5 million grant to develop self-driving vehicles.
Cities Need ‘Sophisticated Urban Freight Policies,’ Report Says
Officials aiming to facilitate the flow of freight amid advancements in autonomous vehicle technologies need policies designed to reduce the frequency of freight trips while enhancing safety, a new report by the National Association of City Transportation Officials concluded.
UD Trucks Tests Level 4 Autonomous Driving in Japan
Japanese truck maker UD Trucks, a unit of Volvo Group, announced it showcased Level 4 autonomous driving together with the nation’s largest logistics firm and a 100-year-old agricultural cooperative — calling the technology an important tool to address the contracting work force.
Daimler, Torc Begin Testing Self-Driving Trucks in Virginia
Daimler Trucks has begun testing highly automated heavy-duty trucks on Virginia highways in partnership with its subsidiary, Torc Robotics, the companies said.
Plus.ai Enters Joint Venture With Chinese Truck Maker FAW Jiefang
Plus.ai, a startup providing self-driving technology, announced a joint venture to develop autonomous trucks with FAW Jiefang, China’s oldest and largest truck manufacturer.
September 6, 2019Robots Displacing Jobs Means 120 Million Workers Need Retraining
More than 120 million workers globally will need retraining in the next three years due to artificial intelligence’s impact on jobs, according to an IBM survey.
Tesla Autopilot Is Found Partly to Blame for 2018 Freeway Crash
U.S. transportation safety investigators found Tesla Inc.’s design of its automated driver-assist system was partly to blame for a crash in which an inattentive driver slammed into a fire truck parked on a freeway near Los Angeles in 2018.