Self-Driving Trucks: And So It Begins...

Discussion in 'Truckers News' started by Zangief, Feb 2, 2020.

  1. 88228822

    88228822 Heavy Load Member

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    G13Tomcat Thanks this.
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  3. lee worsdell

    lee worsdell Bobtail Member

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    Just watched on 60 minutes program these self driving trucks. Whats going to happen if they have a program issue. Or the dam thing crashes into someone one. Says it will take a million driving jobs away
     
  4. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    My favorite Florida self driving truck test story,,,on a back road in Florida, things seemed to be going well for the 1st prototype driverless truck, when, the truck suddenly lost power and coasted to a stop. Turns out, there was a power failure at the "command post", shutting down the truck, something the inventor hadn't thought of. Tell THAT to a receiver or shipper. Ain't gonna happen, like electric cars, they'll throw a ton of money into it, just to find out it won't work.
     
    Wasted Thyme Thanks this.
  5. Hottub

    Hottub Light Load Member

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    On the subject of job loss, I think it would be massive. All of the truck stops would become fueling centers....No more CDL schools...Job reduction at DOT and DMV...The effect this would have on unemployment is almost hard to imagine... What would happen to the Teamsters ? I know that this is an extreme view but I also think that we should remember all of the manufacturing jobs that no longer exist.
     
  6. SandyEggo518

    SandyEggo518 Bobtail Member

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    I just got this in an email from robinhood:




    Self-driving IPO

    • Robinhood Snacks
      Apr 9 at 3:55 AM
      robinhood.com
      [​IMG]

      TRUCKED
      Self-driving truck startup TuSimple is IPO'ing — and trucking is having a techy moment

      Sounds like an organic food company... actually an autonomous truck startup. San Diego-based TuSimple is planning to go public, targeting an $8B valuation. TuSimple's autonomous trucks have already hit American roads for testing (with human supervision). It wants investors to know it has a lot more on its TuDo list:
      • TuSimple is developing Level 4 (aka: highly automated) self-driving semi trucks with Navistar, slated to enter production in 2024.
      • It launched a self-driving freight network partnership with UPS, which is also one of its investors (ETA: live by 2024).
      A truckload... There’s a lot of innovation happening in trucking. Two key themes for the truck fleets of the future: electric and self-driving. On the electric side: Tesla, Nikola, and Volvo are a few companies working on electric semi trucks. On the autonomous side: TuSimple, Mercedes-owner Daimler, Google's Waymo, and Volvo are covering self-driving semis. The global truck freight market is worth $4T, and there's a big opportunity for disruptors:
      • Electric Pros: EV companies have the power of the Green Rush (and green policies) behind them. Plus, a recent study shows electric semis will soon compete economically with diesel trucks.
      • Autonomous Pros: Self-driving truck companies say they'll cut labor costs, reduce accidents, and increase efficiency for long-haul trips. Think: fewer exhausted drivers... and fewer Amazon drivers peeing in bottles.
      • But: 3.5M+ people work as truck drivers in the US, and wide-scale automation could significantly cut jobs.
      [​IMG] THE TAKEAWAY
      Trucks are the backbone of the online economy... The growth of ecommerce, plus trends like next-day shipping, are boosting demand for trucking (and trucking innovation). But plenty of challenges remain. On the electric side, there's the issue of charging times and #RangeAnxiety. On the autonomous side, there's the risk that these new technologies won't gain acceptance from the public or regulators. There's also the chance that these developing technologies won't work. Even TuSimple notes these as some of its biggests risks ahead.



     
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  7. Inderjit

    Inderjit Medium Load Member

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    In 1850 close to 50% of the people in the world were involved in the manufacture
    of clothing in some way. In 1851 Issac Singer patented his sewing machine
    and put about half of those people out of work.
     
  8. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    I can't wait to sue the ever living #### out of everyone involved with the development and regulation of self-driving technology if one happens to so much as graze anything I own.
     
  9. FearTheCorn

    FearTheCorn Medium Load Member

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    Don't swallow the cool-aid. These Zombie trucks will run over a school bus full of children or nuns. The outfit running them will die. Get your CDL.
     
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