Two weeks ago, an autonomous truck drove itself on a public highway in Florida without a safety driver behind the wheel. In fact, there was no one inside the truck at all.
Starsky Robotics announced on June 26th that it had reached a milestone in the race for a fully autonomous truck. On June 16th, the company put an autonomous truck on a 9.4-mile stretch of the Florida turnpike without a human inside.
“We are now the only autonomous company that’s testing trucks without having people in the cabs on public roads with the motoring public,” CEO Stefan Seltz-Axmacher told FreightWaves. It’s an attention-grabbing claim, but one that may only be true because other companies keep safety drivers behind the wheel while testing their autonomous trucks in case one of their systems fails.
During the test-run, a human driver sitting 200 miles away in Jacksonville, Florida remotely piloted the truck only at the very beginning and end of the trip. According to Starsky, the operator drove the truck from a rest stop in Okeechobee, FL onto the highway before letting the autonomous system take over. Then the operator took back control to take the truck off the highway, through a toll plaza, and parked it at its destination.
Starsky isn’t the only company experimenting with this kind of remote piloting, but it appears they are the only ones doing it on public roads with no safety driver in the vehicle as a failsafe. Or perhaps they’re the only ones admitting to it.
Source: overdrive, ttnews, freightwaves, venturebeat, starsky, washingtonpost, businessinsider, autonews
MrYowler says
Did they do this legally? I’m pretty sure you can’t just do this and declare success just because nobody died and you didn’t get caught…
It isn’t safe just because nobody got hurt. It isn’t legal just because you didn’t get busted.
Hammer Head says
Well as legal as the trucking industry really is. How’s that for an answer. Lol!
dave says
All i can say is WTF ? ! ! !
Rick Smith says
Absolute Insanity! I’m no Luddite, but this ridiculous experiment will ultimately end in tragedy, and when it does, I hope the victim’s families will sue for BILLIONS and win.
Michael Sutton says
First off, this was not autonomous, it was remote control.
Do you have any idea how easy it is to take control of a RC vehicle? Not to mention that the RC is conducted over the internet. Let us not forget, the “great race” to be first has a long history of death and destruction.
Sara says
Over the internet. What if the electricity goes out on the computer system is there a backup?
Jimmy B says
Does the RC operator need a CDL to control the truck?? If no why not he is in control of the same vehicle as we are. Did he do a pre trip??
Outback says
That is an excellent question
H. Wood says
Good point
Windybag says
What happens when the “RC VEHICLE ” LOSES THE CONNECTION? Idiots in training I see.
Andrew H says
Drive it longer, I bet the love bugs on the turnpike will obscure sensors in no time.
J.Erhardt says
THAT IS A possibility…It could happen…
David says
Well, if they did do it legally. There goes the economy. While prices will be stable, 3 million people are going to loose their job’s, not to mention the 200-400 thousand truck stop attendant’s and restaurant waitresses that rely on our industry for their job’s.
Km says
It seems they’re trying harder than hell to put people out of work! It doesn’t take a Milton Freedman to figure out replacing humans with machines will eventually crash the economy!
Alex c says
So they can now become robot hos
Sean says
If companies want to get rid of people then why don’t we just stay home? Then when nobody works then who will buy anything…
J.Erhardt says
THAT IS A possibility…It could happen…
Alex c says
Call donny
Marcus Williams says
I can see people commiting crimes on these trucks for good pleasure
Charles Irving says
I don’t understand why self driving trucks look so much like normal trucks, without the need for a sleeper or a driver it should be smaller than a day cab which make it even easier to get into some places if not more like just a self driving trailer.
Steve says
Yeah I agree. Why have a sleeper on a truck that has no driver? You made an excellent point.
AC says
Because at the end of the day it will still need a steering wheel holder being paid min. wage to fuel, do paperwork, deal with claims, etc. They aren’t trying to kill the actual trucking industry, only the need to pay us experienced drivers what we should be making.
Nokes says
Nailed it 👌
In the short-term it will require a more educated driver / attendant to operate these vehicles, increasing wages temporarily for technically educated drivers,,
5-10 yrs down the line as the systems get more operator friendl,y technically advanced .
eliminating the need for a technically trained drivers!
opening the door & turning what previously was a decent-paying job into a minimum wage job,
Laz says
for many it is already a below min wage job, or havent you yet seen the memo ?
J.Erhardt says
THAT IS A possibility…It could happen…
Alex c says
Cause Volvo supplied the truck smarty
Ryan says
I wonder how it handles the DOT Man when it fails an inspection. This is not good news for our industry.
Jerry says
The DOT man job will be eliminated next…no need for them either!! Coming to nothing but artificial intelligence, what a world we live in, past generations would roll over in their graves
John says
This ain’t nothing. What the elites have planned for us is really horrible. It is time to wake up.
Ryan says
Would anyone feel safe sitting in Stopped traffic due to an existing accident on an interstate with that thing coming up behind them? Just a thought???
Nemo says
I would feel more comfortable with some fresh from driving school idiot watching youtube coming up behind me.
Rawdog says
I agree Nemo
Steve says
Let’s see how it handles inclement weather conditions and high winds.
Trucklife888 says
True
Windybag says
Exactly!
William Finney says
Interesting experiment but, this is a really, really, really long way from reality. The USA would require extensive road infrastructure build out B4 this could become reality. I can see this working in a long haul application on our cross country interstate system but, not until billions are spent on the build out. And as we all know, we cannot get enough money out of Washington now to improve our highway systems. However, at some point in the future it will become reality I think???
Wesley says
Everyone saying this is a long way out, no its not you already having companies haul freight with these kinds of trucks. But Kentucky has banned autonomous semis permanently.
These autonomous semis was first mentioned before elogs was even put into semis.
Y’all said we will never be required to have elogs into our trucks etc etc etc.
Fmcsa has set truckers up to fail in every way possible just to say they have exhausted all means and autonomous semis are the solution to trucking. How far away until we start seeing full fleets of this autonomous semis taking over. Less then 3 years. FMCSA wants them up & running by the year 2021.
Trucker no more! says
Ya that’s fine, as long as FMCSA takes FULL responsibility when these trucks start crashing and causing all kinds of havoc! Not gonna be a tired over worked and way under paid driver to blame! Hope they get lotsa insurance!!!
mousekiller says
When the auto trucks take to the roads in a large numbers I doubt they will have more or anywhere the same number of accidents that we have today. At least few at fault accidents. They will be hit by the ones human drivers of all vehicle that think they will get big bucks for the accident not unlike like today.The autonomous trucks are not distracted by anything and will react instantly to change . Drivers today ( steering wheel holders included) that are poorly trained, lack proper skill to handle a CMV over 12,000 lbs. As far as bad weather? Well I think when the cameras and radar see the change in weather they will react to that too and either slow or park.Like drivers should be doing but few do.
Nemo says
I agree!
John says
Your ego is out there
Steve says
Ok so now they will drive trucks from office car . Great so driver has to go pee now the truck has no one driving it. Now from your office go open the doors latch them and slide the axles lets see you do that
Wesley says
Don’t forget fueling. Some at truck stop has to put diesel into the tanks.
But I’m not gonna be a trucker in side these autonomous semis. My life is too important. And who do you think they could blame when the accident happened, the autonomous semi, or the driver in the sleeper?
PFM says
As was said – try it in northern and western states in winter. Watch that CEO exuberance rapidly fade when the first fatality occurs and the lawyers and insurance adjusters descend like a flock of vultures…
K.C. says
If someone “piloted” the truck, then it still needed a driver. This is the same nonsense they claimed when drones were going to replace pilots….guess what, they needed pilots to fly the drones.
Deryl D ware says
Lol I bet those terrorist are keeping a close eye on this lol so they can hack and take over one and next thing your know will see one being ran through the White House… I swear theres no end to rich peoples greed
Niki says
Most companies refuse to maintain their equipment. I cant even imagine how dangerous these trucks can become when they aren’t maintained properly.
Thaddaus Clark says
All well said
Maximus says
Because automakers is not up to a speed with driverless trucks yet. They have to create one as such but it takes not only a time but legal matters and their top guys’ decision to take responsibility to go along with that. Not to mention how it is going to affect the whole countries infrastructure.
John Ciely says
Was it logging the miles?
Robert R says
Do they have driverless Trains on the Railway Tracks? I think not intentionally because whenever there has been a Runaway it never ends well!
Juan robledo says
Next they’ll come up with autonomous fuel pumps, and the same for tire and truck repairs, that’ll be the day
Nokes says
I remember that exact same thing, saw it on a visionary show called” The Jetsons”
Laz says
fuel pumps are not where you want to invest- ever see the video of the tesla suv pulling a trailer of the bmw suv on it while outdragging a bmw suv that had no such load ? electric has a capability that is well beyond diesel- wont be hard to have one autonomously pull into a charging station. theres a good chance you or I will see this before we die.
Butch McTavish says
All this autonomy needs to be outlawed immediately and entirely in all 50 states and territories !!!!
Tom says
9.4 miles? Not much of a test! The real test would be to see how those trailer doors will open up by themselves, who will check in at the shipping office or at security gate, how will the trailer tandems slide back by itself….. etc, etc!!
Joeziah Babb says
You can already get a button in your cab to release a tandem slide. Automated trailer doors would be easy to install. Paperwork can be done via the internet, once shippers and receivers see the cost savings of being able to accept automated trucks they will adapt.
Sara says
It’s suppose to cut the amount of trucker accidents. So when someone drives a four wheeler into the truck the trucker won’t be at fault just the trucks owner. Why a Volvo? How fast does it go can I buy one for the grandkids to play with in the driveway?
J.Erhardt says
WELL,The 4 wheeler who hits the truck,for whatever reason,whether it be DUI,Stoned,Not paying Attention in general…They sure can’t blame the TruckDriver without a Trucker being inside the truck at? THEY COULDNT LIE THEMSELF OUT OF THAT…
Sara says
Maybe I said maybe we will get a years salary to stay home. Internet’s become slow sometimes that video game system I don’t trust. Smaller companies will go under. I think we are too over qualified to be a remote control operator. Perhaps we will be offered a job in demolishing the human operated trucks
Wally says
Another headline grabbing story about the coming robot take over! The writers of these articles must love the spike in reader numbers when these stories come out. And they will love writing about it when one of these crashes into a full car load of people too! And boy will that story get the headlines! I hope that never happens.
These stories keep hitting the news because they are interesting, but everyone thinks, after they read a story like this, that automated trucks are right around the corner. I don’t know how many people have asked me how I feel about automated trucks, once they learn that I’m a truck driver. At this point I just say that I can’t wait to own one!
Reality is that this isn’t happening for a long long time, if at all. The public road testing is what makes me shake my head. If I was driving down the highway with my family next to one of these things, and it malfunctioned, I think I’d be wanting some answers.
Why haven’t they built a track somewhere to have these things run around and deal with all the different obstacles that will happen on the road? Put it out in the middle of nowhere Nevada or something. Why must they keep testing them around innocent civilians? And why isn’t our government making this a safer system?
Every time I see or hear a story about the CSA, hours of service, or the Road Safety Check, and that it’s all about safety, I’ll just remember that there are companies out there operating semi trucks with no operator around the general public in full view of the DOT. And I know that Florida has cameras all over its highways, so the likelihood that the Florida DOT knew that this was happening was pretty high.
Larry says
Under fair road conditions (or better) these trucks should be as safe as one with a driver. As long as everything works. Actually on interstate type roads they should be safer. (When things work)
Things don’t always work. The potential danger is great. A driver who made terrible decisions in Denver a few months ago caused many deaths. I don’t know his training, expirence… He did NOT take a open runaway exit. (Well marked). He did not take a nice mowed ditch that changed into semi swampy ground…
Instead he moved over from right shoulder to far left and took out cars, lives…
I think it’s possible to let robots drive on rural interstates. To give driver a break, couple hr nap. The tech is available for that.
Nemo says
After reading the story about CDL mills and making it easier for less qualified people to get a license, I say hurry up with the driverless trucks! I’ve seen what these “drivers” can do, it might be better with no-one rather than some idiot watching netflix.
Chuck Quinn says
Who have they got in jail? They just admitted to committing a crime. You can’t endanger the lives of others WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION!!!! How many people signed waivers.
J C says
My company has CMS on their newer automatics. I had one on my last tour and the truck kept slamming on the brakes for no apparent reason. It is a real eye-opener when you’re going down the highway doing 62mph, and suddenly the truck decides to do a hard brake all by itself with long, clear highways in front of it.
DaveB says
Maybe we need autonomous cars just as bad. Everyone talks about the accidents that trucks are involved in but nobody talks about all of the accidents that civilian cars are involved in. This is not about safety this is about DOLLAR$!!! It’s pure greed. Truckers get into accidents caused by civilian cars all the time and many times it is the cars fault. These civilian drivers don’t have any type of restrictions while on the highway outside of the speed limit Ave no texting or drinking and driving. But there is nothing to stop someone from driving a car who’s been up for 18+ hrs driving, who hasn’t had much experience driving in bad weather, who doesn’t know anything about defensive driving. There is no issue with civilian drivers at all even tho they crash far more than trucks do and it’s not even close. This is an attempt to save money not lives. Small carriers will be done away with and mega corporations such as Amazon and Walmart will be 2 of the few companies that have these trucks. I don’t see this happening for another 4-5 years and maybe another 8-10 before it’s a full on takeover. 9 miles on a roll road is nothing. Try 500-600 with crazy untrained distracted civilian cars jumping in front of you slamming on brakes weaving in your lane etc etc. I don’t think the sensors on these trucks can anticipate they only can react. I human driver can see a situation unfolding before it happens. Those autonomous trucks can not. Good luck with thinking some tech guys can turn a big rig into a uber ride for cargo. Shi is far more complicated.
Jim Gilley says
With the panic of computer hacking I bet it won’t be very long for some hacker to take over the operation of this truck….I also wonder if my boss is going to pay me for sitting at home doing nothing
David Hampton says
I never agreed to sharing the road with an unmanned vehicle. Let one hit me or hurt someone in my family it is pretty easy to find the clowns that put it on the road and I wouldn’t be nice when I did find them. This has got to end somewhere!
John Finney says
First of all this will never work nor will it ever last. The states cannot afford to lose the revenue that they are making of the fines of the truck drivers and the trucking companies. What would be the point of having DOT anymore, and like I said The day of the driverless cars and the driverless trucks will never happen because driverless cars you’ll never have any more DUIs you’ll never have any speeding tickets. States like California and Ohio will never last without that revenue from the tickets.
Larry says
So many small thinkers. When they build these things from new there will be no sleeper or even a cab. So more weight can be hauled. Fueling is easy. An auto docking system will be put in place. Sliding the tandems will be done at the shipper or automatically by the operator 200 miles away or by the system as it goes down the road. No more speeding or road rage. The computor will sense and adapt to debris, road conditions to include snow, rain and bad road surfaces.
5 years until we see the number of truck drivers needed reach a plateau. 10 years until we will see a serious drop in the number of truck drivers.
Technology is replacing every human job. And flatbedders? Yes yours too. Think about it. Sensors detect weight shift and correct it through braking and suspension changes. Chain and strap bindings will be automatically controlled. Cameras will look at the load from different angles.
There is no real long time future for the professional truck driver.
I am sad because I love my job. But I also see the writing on the wall.
J.Erhardt says
MAYBE WE WOULD ALL BE BETTER OFF AND SAFER DOING IT THE Horse and Buggy way….No more high priced stinky fuel,less smog in the air…
Malcolm Newcomb says
This is still in testing phase. WITH NO BACKUP DRIVER? Irresponsible and dangerous!
Outback says
I wonder if this truck knows when it has a tire blow out or when it gets hot does it see when something comes loose on its truck can it stop on the side of the road and fix itself? Ever wonder why they don’t ever test these trucks in the city with traffic or an inclement weather? I can’t see them working well in construction either.
robin says
Here’s my prediction: in the surface the idea seems pretty cool for companies because they can save money on the cost of the driver including taxes that goes along with an employee, on the other side of the coin when they find out how much it really cost to maintain any type of high technology including the back-end that a regular mechanic does not have the skills to repair and calibrate these issues plus you can bet that the regulations you think they’re tough now imagine how they will be for autonomous vehicles.
And the idea of having an operator remotely operate a truck
more than likely they will have trucks being operated by a single operator is reliant on the 5G Network. The truck would be designed that if they lose communication they will go into an a semi-autonomous mode and even possibly just pull over just like your car goes into a default mode when the computer has an issue.
However just like Tesla which is already had several deaths, we’ll see how this rolls out with an 80000 lb vehicle.
Malcolm Newcomb says
This is IRRESPONSIBLE and dangerous.
Jeremy says
“Autonomous”driving systems may be successful out on the interstates and open roads but they will never be able to deal with all the variables involved in operations in highly populated, tight urban area’s. Show me an ‘autonomous’ big truck that can navigate an LTL load within the burough of Manhattan/Brooklyn/The Bronx or large city centres like Boston, Atlanta, Toronto, etc..There’s just no way.Bring it on.Stack all the trailers up like chord wood in the Jersey drop yards and such.I’ll be more than happy to hook my old tractor up to them for delivery and return the trailer to the drop yard.I figure $1200-$1500 a pop.I’m waiting for you.Ching-ching.
Deaconblues62 says
LOL, I can’t believe with all that TOUGH CB TALK I’ve heard over the years, I can’t believe the yuppie college boys are getting away with this.
I think 🤔 it’s official; they have those SO CALLED TOUGH TRUCKING STANDARDS to weed out who they don’t want.
Well no wonder.
Rawdog says
WHATTTT????
DG says
Lets see how good its evasive driving skills are. I swear first one i see im running right into a ditch. It wouldnt be hard to do.
Grim Reaper says
All you steering wheel holders need to start watching “THE JETSONS” cartoon reruns… cause THATS where these idiots pushing this stuff come from!! Not sure your truck will fold into a briefcase tho
ENJOYING RETIREMENT
DeezNutz says
The trucking industry is in serious trouble! These things are less than 10 years away from hitting the roads full time.