Autonomous trucks being used to deliver goods isn’t news anymore. But when the truck delivering goods doesn’t have a driver – or even a steering wheel, brake pedals, or a cab for a driver to sit in – the companies involved get excited. Just don’t tell them that the truck is currently capping out at around 3 mph.
Swedish truck startup Einride introduced their T-Pod autonomous truck last year. Now its begun making regular daily freight deliveries on a public road. Fully loaded, the T-Pod weighs in at 26 tons.
It’s Level 4 autonomous, but has no cab for a driver to sit in. Instead, an operator sitting at a desk at a different location will supervise multiple vehicles at once. According to Einride, this reduces the operating costs of the truck by around 60%.
Einride is describing the driverless route as a “world’s first,” and claims that they currently have orders from other large European companies including five Fortune 500 retail companies. And while 3 mph might not be practical for most uses, Einride’s CEO points out that it’s a huge deal to be allowed to operate a 26-ton truck on public roads with no driver.
“This public road permit is a major milestone … and it is a step to commercializing autonomous technology on roads,” CEO Robert Falck told Reuters.
Right now, Einride is only operating in Europe, but they have their sights set on the U.S.
“Ground zero for autonomous vehicles is the United States,” said Falck. “I think it will be the first market to scale when it comes to autonomous vehicles.”
Source: reuters, gobytrucknews, truckinginfo, einride
Rufus says
You just have to love a society that only cares about money. Forget about people, we are just in the way.
Solo1nme says
the USA is a corporation not a country. Home of crooked politicians and guilty until you prove yourself innocent. Boycott the USA government! Obama, trump, Bush, Clinton, are all corrupt and belong in prison!
David says
Right. They will all go to prison in a driverless truck.
This thread is about autonomous trucks. Not politicians.
Barney says
They have NO forsight, only greed
And chaos will ensue eventually.
Clearly they are not going to stop until the human race itself is computerized.
With all the problems we have in this world, this autonomous vehicle stuff is trinket junk in relation
Luke Warm says
Yep!
Experienced Trucker says
DON’T LIKE IT AT ALL! No drivers means mo 401k contributions, medical/dental or workers comp to pay. Which also means no one will have $$$ to buy anything these ROBOTS deliver. And fast food joints will have as some do NOW, no cashiers but computers to put your order and pay. No one will have a job to pay bills or purchase anything.
Don Porche' says
Sad thing is that you don’t even get a discount for checking yourself out. All that I see without a driver and at 3m.p.h. is a lot of but like Rufus said these companies don’t care about anything but money and when they force drivers out who is going to buy there product. Here is the first step to socialism.
Don Porche' says
I forgot the word accidents
Rickie says
I’m wondering does anyone ponder these facts? Outlawing abortion, I don’t mention it to support or disagree with it but widespread population increases will be the result then simultaneously working to eliminate jobs at the same time. Fiscally conservative on the government assistance issue but letting technology place more people out of work.
wayne says
I love it all, because I hate the attitude of most human beings. Take your attitude and shove it into the robots. Go robots go.
Bob says
And no one will be able to afford paying taxes because we all will be out of a job. No one thinks about that
Daisy says
Haha. The wheel holders will lose his job. While the real truck drivers keep working
Jules says
How do u propose to Boycott the US Gov.???
John says
That is the goal. Us mere humans will be obsolete. Only A.I. and the elites will be needed. Then the few elites will merge with computers and they will be God’s. This is their dream
Joe Blow says
Wait until the first major highway stickup (of autonomous vehicles) occurs, where the bandits make off with 100% of the truck’s cargo, then see what happens to the “60% savings in operating costs.” Can hardly wait!
Brian says
Awesome reply bro nuff said!
Barney says
Lawlessness and chaos!!
Yep- were definitely moving in the right direction
Lol
Timothy says
I agree with experience trucker if people don’t have a job whose gonna buy the product to ship? Won’t be anything to ship if robots take over robots doesn’t buy anything
robot drvr says
Previously, drivers would come on here complaining about their job. Now, they come on here to complain about not having their job.
MrYowler says
Thankfully, there are people with jobs doing other things besides driving, to buy the products that these gizmos deliver… extremely slowly…
But c’mon guys… You saw it happen to auto workers, steel workers, designers and engineers, doctors, customer service representatives, telephone solicitors… You can’t possibly have not known that your jobs were going to go overseas, to foreigners working here in the US, or automation… no matter what the job is that you do. This has been going on for at least a century. Driving is my third career.
Count yourselves lucky that you didn’t need a quarter of a million dollars in student loans to train for the jobs that you’re about to lose. The next growth area for us slave wage laborers, will be changing the diapers of old rich people. After piss bottles, handling diapers will be a breeze. It won’t pay as well, but the next thing almost never pays as well as the last thing. If it did, they would have eliminated those jobs, first. Oh… don’t get too attached to the geriatric diaper gig, either. I hear the weather and the view is much nicer in Brazil, and Brazilians work a lot cheaper than Americans… Jus’ sayin’…
Mike says
Drop the mic well said.
Daisy says
I have a degree. And it was all free college for me
Sofakingwetalldid says
Gender studies isn’t a degree.
AAA says
Yeah, probably paid for by hard working Americans that pay taxes to support foreign aid. Then you go around flaunting it while the middle class families of America can’t afford to send their children to college and can’t get “free college” because they don’t qualify. Yeah, keep flaunting it!
PFM says
They don’t need a job when Uncle Sugar gives everyone a free Universal Basic Income to do nothing – oh, wait, to be the artiste you always wanted to be. Keep more and more people dependent on that big government to support you. They’ve got it down like the Romans did – Bread and Circuses, baby!
Younus Chowhan says
Wondering do they built warehouse humans free? Also China built a Robot that can lift 10.000 pounds in one hand. Imagine Two hands hauling two skids or two double stakes I mean 4 skids in one time unloading 15 minutes.
Rick says
Wow so now you’ve got one person responsible for the operation of multiple trucks when people have enough trouble driving one. I bet they get a lot of deliveries made at 3mph. That’ll just piss off the customers that have to wait longer for their deliveries.
Scott says
that’s now, in 10 years it’ll be at 60mph
George says
Planes, ships, trains trucks will always have pilots, captains, engineers and drivers.
All are capable of being 100% autonomous. Calm down folks
John doe says
Yeah but they are all union which is the only obstacle from them going fully automated
Harley D. says
First time it Kills someone! They will stop it! Hopefully? Can any1 say….Sky Net and Terminator?
Benjamin says
Who’s going to tarp and secure steel coils and back into a muddy job site? Who is going to back into a tight family dollar and unload ? As soon As one of these things kills a soccer mom and her kids it’s all over.
Chesley says
I’ve read all these comments and not one mention of being stuck in traffic behind a big truck rolling along at “3” miles an hour. Am I missing something here. Imagine going down the road at 65-70 miles an hour and coming upon this large box in the road moving at 3 mph. Don’t see a problem?
PFM says
Nah, the big problem is when you have to deliver to the warehouse next door to this POS and are late for your appointment because you’re stuck behind it. 🙂
Solo1nme says
Like driving in California
Benjamin says
How is it going to stop for a roadside inspection? What is it going to do when a steer tire blows? What if there is an accident and needs to take a different route ? Can it detect snow and ice? Who is going to chain up? Can it detect drunk drivers weaving and slow down ? What about break checkers ?
Barney says
It’s a perfect robot- it’s exempt from all these petty life situations
Lol
MGE Dawn says
Don’t you know? It’s a 9000 series. It doesn’t make mistakes /s
BAD IDEA says
Nobody see how strange this is , Human beings better start waking up and fighting back, our very existence is in danger.
Solo1nme says
Humans don’t seem to understand or correct the issues until it’s too late!
Barney says
👍
B says
And what do you suggest to do?
Garnell says
Anything but ask the question you just asked. That question amounts to nothing.
Barney says
It’s too late
The masses are already too far gone in the head
An example- the other day I was reading an article where a ceo is describing a truck
No mirrors!!- he excitedly explains “ there’s no logic to mirrors “ he says ( who the hell talks like that?)
So he happily continued “ and we added colours to the cameras so drivers can understand and interpret what they are seeing “
WOOHOO!!- colour
Um, no logic??
A mirror reflects back at you so you can see in a different direction- SIMPLE!, and unless you’re colour blind ( a possibility, cameras still won’t help)
Voila!!- colour in a different direction
These barmy computer fools are literally reinventing the tried and true and completely foolproof.
I think their new algorithms are even suggesting a wheel is more efficient and effective as a square, perhaps even a triangle!!
Their heads are too far gone
No hope
Clearly not enough people read 1984 or Brave New World
Richard Tessier says
This is where we’re at….if we could of have done our job right, none of this would happen, but because of those drivers who ruined our job, it was meant to happen…sad for those who are truckers from day one….
Barney says
Well we’re well past day one
We are 4 or 5 generations in too trucking
I understand what your saying, but I think these silicone valley computer nuts are driven by different factors than what your suggesting
Joseph Howard says
No one thought about the D.O.T will be laying off a lot .Another job…….Gone. A quick fix is never a good idea. That WHOLE concept isn’t even practical. 3 m.p.h. WTF..? They will probably make it available for rich people to invest in them at super high prices to weed out the working class . REGULATION, once again achieved.
mike says
So if I need something in the next few days I had better order it last month at 3 MPH .At least they won’t be getting a speeding ticket but a holding up traffic
ticket would be required.
Lester says
Everything will improve and work out with the new tech for the big companies… it is the progress and can not be stoped… while our voted politician ever in the white house sign new laws to make the process easier for the new tech to hit the road with less required inspection and we keep trusting him…. and he also say the ones who actually care about workers are bad and stalinist…. and we believe him…
Toni says
Can these driverless truck detect human error, like kids running out in the road. Or a drunk driver running a stop sign. And many other human mistakes. Somebody is getting ready to pay out a lot of money.
Barney says
Forget about it
All collateral damage in the name of, ahem- progress
wayne says
Next disruptive technology. Nationwide conveyor belts. east coast to west coast , north border to south border and over all highways.
Barney says
Perfect!
👍😀
Scott says
As the Republicans will say, Quit crying you’ll still have jobs, serving the Rich, those toilets need to be cleaned by someone.
William Brandon says
No drivers? What is DOT going to do? And how much will it cost in ran over people? Oh boy, maybe we don’t need people.
Barney says
Ditch the human
We’ve had our day
All those items you pointed out are petty collateral damage
John doe says
Yeah but they are all union which is the only obstacle from them going fully automated
Gentry Newsom says
These truckers here in the USA would shoot the tires out from under it. They should have all steel wheels b4 they try rolling in the states…it would take a police escort to get the load to the receiver…you tech folks need to think these things through.
Barney says
Force all unions to capitulate
Pay em off
exterminateliberals says
I think we are going to see a lot of burned out autonomous trucks along the roadways……How else do you think guys are going to respond to having their livelihood stolen?
Barney says
Marching toward chaos!!
Let’s get this party started
Jetlag says
Ha ! 3 mph , that is laughable..
The robot s at Baldwinsvile NY load a truck in 3 hours..last time I was there. That was a few years ago .
Don’t know what their time is now. Can’t be much faster . No worries. It will take another few decades before we need to worry about losing driving jobs to robots . And even then it won’t be all driving jobs . Some things they just can’t do..
Charliemo says
This better be a hoax
Rebecca says
If truckers wanted to stop this they could, ban together. If everyone that drives for a living would just not work for a month, we bring this country to its knee’s.
Gentry Newsom says
These truckers here in the USA would shoot the tires out from under it. They should have all steel wheels b4 they try rolling in the states…it would take a police escort to get the load to the receiver…you tech folks need to think these things through.
Barney says
We cannot band together
Too disorganized, self-serving and stupid
We’ve had society by the balls since mass consumption- and never tangibly took advantage of that position
Charles Prez says
When these trucks malfunction & kill/hurt somebody, multiple lawsuits are filled than what? What these people also fail to realize is that no one takes the time to throughly service equipment these days. This is giant balloon that will eventually pop!
Sara says
3mph food should be fermented by then Get out of the way of that 26 ton robot. How do we trust the guy who operates it from behind a desk? What if he falls asleep from all that really fast speeding he’s doing. He already used up his HOS at 3 mph
Sara says
No if we ban together we get fired for refusing to deliver. Mexico gets our jobs we are not a convoy with rubber duckies
Barney says
Chaos is always just around the corner!
Gentry Newsom says
These truckers here in the USA would shoot the tires out from under it. They should have all steel wheels b4 they try rolling in the states…it would take a police escort to get the load to the receiver…you tech folks need to think these things through.
Lion says
Ppl will retaliate and put viruses on those trucks softwares, especially truckers who are Computer Pros.
Sara says
Oh ya soon all our trucks will be recycled into 26 ton robots. And then the ultimate gigantic trooper will be made. Then the trooper will fly just like transformers do and break up into cars and motorcycles and stuff.
Sara says
Not funny really way to end drivers even drones are now delivering . This means everyone will own a flying car in the future and they seem capable. But now there’s A matter there of air control should be interesting.
Sara says
Next step driverless school buses
Sara says
No worries sooner or later all the truckers will be spayed and neutered and become extinct just like the dogs and cats. No reason to get upset
robin says
There is a YouTuber called Tesla driver, which is definitely worth checking out and he’s constantly demonstrating the pros and cons of autonomous driving, including how many times the computer gets into a situation that it’s unfamiliar with even driving on the same roads and makes the wrong and dangerous decisions.
While I think being able to have your vehicle drive autonomously will someday be as common as your cruise control. I do not like the idea of removing the controls altogether as I think that’s adding to the dangerous situations and in the “real world” unlike having a robot run back and forth on a track, things change.
A piece of debris, a pothole, construction, or something that’s unfamiliar to the robot in the way that it’s programmed to handle the situation.
I’ve driven semi’s and I’ve also repaired robotic vehicles in the factory and while I think it would be kinda cool to have a car similar to KITT as long as it is “a tool” and not a replacement.
Cat22 says
Hmmm, so by my calculations its about 41 days NY to Seattle at 3mph?
Sara says
The kid behind the remote like a video game . Oh I feel so safe now a qualified video player with his remote control . Aren’t there video race tracks in machines at truck stops. Better to sharpen your game skills for your new job of operating your own truck with a remote. Striving for that passing high score.
Brian says
What I want to know is who is going to be liable for the inevitable crashes? No driver left to blame? No way is some corporate family member going to be held liable!
This is why I believe that autonomous trucks will always have a human driver in there. So we can be blamed when the robotic brain loses control in high winds or icy roads. The lawyers will just say we should have been paying more attention to what the robot was doing and been more ready to bail the truck out of that fully developed jackknife that happened in the blink of an eye.
Greg L Klang says
3 mph? That’s a load of BS you couldn’t even move anything around the yard at that speed
Ronnie says
Dot be out of a job cause there want be no more drivers to write up either
robin says
On paper, this all sounds UNTIL they find out that the maintenance cost is extraordinary. You can’t just have a normal mechanic work on the system with a lot of high-tech electronics which requires specialized training, and in some areas, most likely licensed by the state that their in.
For example, in Oregon, I used to have a license to repair your VCR which required an apprenticeship.
I’ve repaired industrial robotic vehicles and I’ve also worked with technicians who were just automotive mechanics trying to repair these vehicles – the end result, very costly for the company to maintain.
Add to that, the vehicle is in the middle of nowhere, it breaks down… You can’t just call your local Les Schwab to fix it.
Joe Thomas says
How would truck stops remain in budiness?
Cant survive selling fuel alone