driverless trucks when?

http://www.wmea.net/Technical Papers/driverless trucks rev 2.pdf

I believe they will be used on dedicated routes first.
They are on mine sites , container yards already.

 

Wow that slideshow looks old as hell

 

Great.....flying cars.....just what we need. Especially with all the auto parts you see laying on the side of the road. Could you imagine what it would be like to have to worry about auto parts falling from the sky? Add that to the fact that half these window lickers can barely drive something that doesn't leave the surface.

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505164_162-57409394-10391734/american-flying-car-soars-in-test-flight/

 

They are here on commercial scale now.

http://www.riotinto.com/media/5157_21165.asp

 

I don't think driverless trucks will be used in the next 25-30 years, nobody will put up with that large a vehicle with no controls and the possibility of being hacked in the post 9-11 climate. They would have to due a major restructuring of the entire highway system to support such vehicles, which in itself would take decades to complete.

What interests me is how soon will they phase out diesel engines with some other alternative. And what will they replace them with, as I can't imagine an electric 18-wheeler. But eventually this is going to happen, unless the economic collapse that other posters mentioned happens first.

 

Battery powered trucks are not that far off.
There are already 110lbs battery's that can power a small car a 1000 miles.
They are working on bringing the cost down and safety factor up.
These prototypes have been tested and work very well.
They are just very expensive to manufacture and dangerous if the casing is breached.
In theory a 1500lbs battery could power a 18 wheeler 1500 miles.

 

Sorry, what you mean?

 

Hmmmm..i can just set the terrain following, idiot/DOT/scale/fourwheeler/weather/seatcover detecting radar,GPS, and simply stay in the sleeper, and the drive when i get there? Count me in lmao!

 

On mine sites and at container yards they have reference points built at certain points of the site.
These are used to correct the error tolerance you get on a standard GPS.
These get the accuracy to under a 1/2 inch I believe.
It makes sense that open cast mines and container yards would use this.