Self Driving Trucks ARE HERE... Licensed in Nevada.

The push back will be that 'certain people' will then drive without insurance.

Look at how often people are driving without a license these days, (even CDL's guys attempt it from time to time). Either broke, illegal or DUI, they just say the heck with it, buy a car for $1000, steal a license plate, and go about their day.

They're only catching the guys that screw up (cause an accident, speed, drive recklessly) I wonder what the percentage is of people driving without a license that fly under the radar. Probably a pretty high number.

 

There will be self driving commercial trucks on the road in the near future (10-15 years).

 

Yep I am ready.

 

Here is my issue with this article and it all comes down to money...not for the driver.....or the carrier. But the Government.
The Government makes A TON of money off of drivers tickets, licensing, tolls, etc....
By having an automated truck you essentially cut off a large source of income for the government. Sure they will find ways to make money off of the automated system. However there are far too many examples of the government not allowing certain technologies or products that benefits the government until they can figure out how to tax the living snot out of it.
Dont believe me? Look into the subject of taxing internet purchases. The government is literally losing money and it is upsetting them. Also here in Ohio they finally got 4 Casino's, they could have been approved many years ago, but they werent officially approved until the State Government learned they were going to make lots of money.
I do see this technology coming, however I am not as ambitious in believing it will be 20 years....if the government has proved any thing, its that they take forever to agree on something. I see this happening in 50 years. Trust me, look at Tesla, they are about to release a new powerful battery and the government is trying to slow down the release. Because it will affect the Oil industry etc.... These companies have lobbyist that pay politicians under the table to stall or stop technology from being released. They will do the same for this technology.

 

Some would call you a conspiracy theorist. ...and they'd be blind, ignorant or stupid.

I am in the fence about when this will debut in companies. We've had systems over the years which could do the same, but none were cost-effective over the long term. (RFID chips implanted in the road, Bluetooth similar tech on sign posts, magnetic strips in the road...the list goes on.). This looks expensive over the short-term for companies, but with the gooberment paying for the tech it uses I'm sure gps will suddenly have an upgrade and will start costing something other than taxes.

I'm old-fashioned about how I drive... I can't stand artificial feedback from a vehicle and refuse to drive anything that gives no feedback. If I can't feel the road through the vehicle's pedals, steering wheel and everything else, it makes it harder to detect changes in the road. In my s10, I've begun to hydroplane and you can feel it before it gets to be an issue and fix it by slowing down.

Basically...before I go into a whole ramble session... This automated stuff is good, but it'll become like everything else that's automated now. When it breaks, everyone is clueless as to what to do...

 

The car didn't fail; the guy in front was too skinny.

Why do you think they are fattening up the country nowadays?

 

I will care when they can haul 104500 over the Canadian Rockies in winter.

 

Nobody I know says automatics won't work. They just don't like them. For me, I liked mine in a Los Angeles traffic jam, hated it going down hills, coupling, and backing. Prefer straight gears in snow, ice and rain also.

I don't see automated driving as a threat. I'm sure there are places automation will work well. It's interesting that the Europeans are doing OK with automated trucks, if true. I'll look at that myself, because I need a few more years OTR. Should have plenty of time, as a comment says a lot of infrastructure, a lot of roads and bridges, badly need upgrading.

One thing I don't like about automated trucks is this idea of a driver/monitor in the truck. Crazy. Nobody can focus hour after hour, not enough to respond appropriately to any critical event in a timely, effective manner.

 

I've been thinking, what about shippers and consignees? Isn't there going to be some required infrastructure at those locations before a self-driving truck can cruise in, dock, and load/unload?

Talk about steering wheel holders!