At a recent industry event, Daimler Trucks North America, owner of the Freightliner brand took time to reassure drivers about their new autonomous driving technology. Diane Hames, general manager of DTNA, said that driverless trucks aren’t there to replace drivers, and claimed that they will actually make driver’s lives easier.
It appears that Freightliner may be worried that drivers won’t take too kindly to being replaced by machines, and rightly so. Trucking is a hard job that consists of far more than just holding a steering wheel, and many drivers here on the forums at TruckersReport have expressed their doubts that a machine will ever be able to do everything that they do.
At the press conference, Freightliner was quick to agree, saying that the goal is to aid drivers and is in no way meant to replace them.
“We’re really focused on safety with this, and I think that has been obscured by the ‘driverless’ factor that the mainstream press took,” said Hames.
According to DNTA, that safety comes from the truck being better at certain things than drivers. But they’re quick to point out that that’s not the drivers’ fault. She said to think of the truck’s features as “bionics for drivers.”
“You start with the human eye, but they can see only so much,” said Hames. “Then you add cameras and radar to that.”
“This technology is not about getting rid of drivers,” she added, “but taking away the tedium of driving on the highway for hours at a time so the job is less tiring.”
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Source: gobytrucknews, truckinginfo
It is only a stepping stone. …companies need good drivers. ..companies are short good drivers. ..Daimlier builds what companies need. ..replacing drivers is not out of the question at all. Then good drivers will always be needed. …are you good?
we’re going to lose a lot of jobs to automation soon sooner than what some people might think..
I would like to believe that these trucks might be safer, however, having worked in the auto industry for many many years before becoming a truck driver, anything mechanical or electrical will break or wear. Another topic of concern, if this truck takes alot of the driving away from the driver, won’t that make the driver more lazy and easily fall asleep at the wheel? I like the concept of it all, but there are still alot of questions unanswered.
color me sceptical about this one. it will take some time but replacing humans with robots and artificial intelligence is the holy grail of this kind of technovation. loading, unloading, inspecting, securing loads, all these kinds of things will require more system wide changes so that fewer and fewer people are involved, but they will learn to adresses these issues eventually. we are currentily designing, engineering, and constructing our own replacements.
I had a 2014 freightliner that had the radar system on it. It was pretty cool, it would keep me about 4 seconds behind the vehicle in front of me, so if they slowed down quick my truck would hit it’s brakes. Down side, when they would slow down to get off the highway my truck would hit it’s brakes and slow me down, (scare me the first fews times) typically slowing in the 50 to 45 mph range then I would have to pick up speed again. The radar system would show me how fast the driver in front of me was going so I could decide to pass them way in advance or just hang behind them until the hammer lane cleared. The radar system was only on keeping me 4 seconds behind them when cruise control was set, so if I saw a 4 wheeler getting off the road I would turn off my cruise control so my truck would stay at my speed and not slow down. I can honestly say there was on time I’m glad I had it because I was looking far ahead when the 4 wheeler directly in front of me slowed down quick and caused my brakes to engage and I wasn’t paying attention to the 4 wheeler directly in front of me because I was looking miles ahead. It’s pretty cool technology. Now I have an older freightliner 2010 sleeper and a 2008 International day cab which doesn’t have the new technology, I miss it a little.
I have two concerns with all this technology. First, who is going to maintain these complex systems. Even the current trucks are an expensive challenge to keep running and to diagnose the real issue when they do break down.
Second, the trucks that the media are talking about virtually drive themselves down the highway. They claim that a driver will be in those trucks in case of an emergency. In this scenario, I have two concerns:
1. How experienced will the driver of that truck be in handling that truck? No two trucks are alike. I would not want to have to handle a truck for the first time in an emergency. Also, driving skills will decline with disuse just like any other skill.
2. With all the tasks that drivers perform today, we still have issues with distracted driving. Imagine sitting in a truck for hours with nothing to do but monitor what the truck is doing. How long can the driver remain alert under those circumstances?
They may go straight down the highway, but I’d like to see them put a 53 ft trailer into a dock.
Or negotiate tight turns in small towns or on narrow roads.
That’s what I’m talkin about…
Exactly
I’m sorry but I just don’t see the practicality in adding “drone” technology into commercial vehicles. First of all… the powers that be need to stop blaming drivers for all the safety issues that plague this industry. MANY other factors are responsible for accidents, not just “driver error” and I’m getting really tired of being blamed for all of this crap. This Orwell-ion response to transportation is nothing more than science fiction wishful thinking. It’s the same principle as speed limiters – unless you limit the speeds of ALL vehicles on the highway it won’t improve safety with enough significance to notice. In order for anything to improve in commercial transportation people’s attitudes toward drivers need to change and that includes administration as well as the companies who hire us. We are constantly treated like “disposable” commodities as well as potential “liabilities”. We are constantly jerked around by everyone from our employers to shippers and the DOT. We’re cheated out of pay, lied to and abandoned. We have no effective voice to represent us to anyone and are constantly treated like second class citizens. So… as far as I’m concerned, you want to replace us with drones… go right ahead! Get Robby the robot to put up with all this crap! I triple dog dare you!!! It will never work…
Well said Duff. I think even the most stubborn of drivers are starting to see the mockery this industry has become and be looking to send a message back to the infringers in the near future. Whether you know it or not you are an effective voice out here.
Well said!!
Agreed!!!!!! You said a mouth full.
I don’t believe that, maybe not in the near future, the technology is being pushed behind the scenes by Insurance institutes and lobby groups of various kinds. These organizations are looking at the extreme costs of accidents freight loss and the legal after effects following such incidents. Just pay attention to the driverless automobile programs being developed some of the same groups are driving that technology because they believe it is much safer even if the technology fails once in awhile the amount of accidents will sharply decrease versus human error. Freight liner has to spin it’s press release because they know the backlash but Big Corporate doesn’t care if you have a job but who will buy the goods and services the want to produce? Just look at what the Port of Los Angeles is doing now and tell yourself if the Longshorman didn’t strike themselves out of a job recentley.
I drive a 2015 freightliner with the radar, and and cruise interactive. I am now in the shop for a third time over a steering malfunction “will not turn left” and when the second shop worked on the truck they cause the abs to stop working. So I have to wonder how bad they will screw up this driverless truck or how long it will take a Russian or Chinese hacker to send this truck into a bus. Freightliner quality has dropped like a rock since most production is no longer done in the states. Next I have to agree with Don this will be an accident waiting to happen. Personally my next truck will be a kenworth.
That was to read radar, ABS and cruise. Sorry spell correct
Come on guys, gotta be smarter than this. It hasn’t a thing to do with safety. What’s going to ‘drive’ this technology is increased revenue. Trucking companies will maximize their earning capacities by now getting 20-23 hrs of productivity per day on their equipment. They won’t be hamstrung by government regulations which restrict how many hrs a day a truck can run, nor will they constantly struggle to keep sleeper teams intact just to see those kinds of production numbers in today’s environment. Regardless of what Frightliner is claiming, the ATA (our ‘friends’) are already at work to push it through and sell it to Uncle Sam from a safety standpoint. It’s phasing in will take a will but you can be sure that dock-bumpers will be the first to go.
Would they tell us if we were being replaced?
I was previously a medical transcriptionist made obsolete by speech recognition technology. First thing the boss said when informing us this new software was being installed was don’t worry, we’ll still need transcriptionists. What are they going to say, time to go to truck driving school?
Blowing sunshine up our @$$€$! The Mega Carriers are the ones pushing for all these rules and regs the Feds keep shoving down our throats.
There is already low freight rates, ELDs, Nanny Cams, next comes Speed Limiters, and whatever else they can come up with to drive the little guys out or harrass drivers to the point they quit.
If the big name carriers can replace steering wheel holders with automated trucks that can run in packs if need be, nonstop, we all know these carriers will be on that like bees to honey.
Somewhere down the road, the trucking industry we know will be gone.
No. That we aren’t being replaced yet, has nothing whatsoever to do with any concern for our jobs on the part of Freightliner.
But this is to be expected since it isn’t Freightliner’s job to be concerned with such things.
” Driverless Trucks Won’t Replace Drivers’ Says Freightliner ”
What Freighliner ” Says ” and what our corrupt government mandates in the furture, are two entirely different issues.
Are we not currently being forced to carry health insurance?
How about newbie drivers playing with their phones instead of paying attention,because the “driverless” truck has bored them to the point of inattentivness?
Why would they need to pay attention? The truck is doing all the driving. You’d just need to wake up when you came to the stop.
If I can lay around in the bunk while the truck does the driving, I may go back to OTR. I have a lot of reading to catch up on.
I use to own a computer tech support business, but chose to travel (with my CDL) when the recession hit in 2006.
Sorry guys and gals, but the days of the long haul trucker are in fact numbered. According to PC World’s article, the Google self driving car has been on city streets since 2009, logged a total of 1.8 million miles, and was involved in 12 accidents (6 while driving autonomously), and ALL were the fault of the other driver, not Google.
Aircraft designed within the last couple of decades have all been capable of flying themselves (but that automation has failed on a couple of occasions, so maybe driver’s catastrophic premonitions have some merit, like the first automatic transmissions), and I’m sure we can all agree that flying in 3 dimensions (albeit without other traffic within 2 miles) is more complicated than driving in 2 dimensions.
I see a system where drivers still work the docks (at least for a decade or two after the auto long haul truck) hooking self driving trucks to loaded trailers, put the paperwork in a bill box, and send the self driving truck to the receiver’s yard where another human will drop the trailer, hook the truck to another trailer, and send it to the next destination.
A simple look at the numbers will make the future obvious. 750,000 long haul drivers, times the $37,930 median income, not including the cost of accommodating those drivers (time wasted with managers arguing, listening to excuses) comes to a total of 28.5 BILLION dollars. Also figure that an automated truck replaces at least 2 solo drivers and their trucks (not including home time) the company that can sell the first automated truck will save companies the cost of the truck in the first 2 years alone, the rest is double profit. They only reason that airlines aren’t automated is because, when you’re selling 150 tickets at $300 a piece, it’s worth the $160 per hour for the two pilots to sit in the cockpit. But with trucking at $4 per mile, it’s worth it to replace the driver and double the work of the truck.
Oh, but the good news is that our living expenses are about to drop considerably. Soon we’ll no longer buy cars that spend most of their time parked. We’ll use our cell phones to order a self driving car to come pick us up when we want to go somewhere. No car payment, no insurance, no maintenance, gas etc. I’m guessing the price will level out around $2 per mile (before inflation), and only the wealthy will own cars that sit most of the time.
P.S. To believe that a computer can’t back a truck is ridiculous. It’s simple geometry with a LOT more data than a driver, with a blind spot, has from the drivers seat (watch the google car videos), but it’s quicker for a human to jump from dock to dock in a busy terminal until a central computer is programmed to remote control a fleet of yard jockeys.
Can it pump it’s own fuel???…..don’t want my fuzzy bunny slippers getting that nasty go juice on em..:)
Anything that keeps the rookies from closing down the highway is fine with me. I personally will be driving one (If they are ever mass produced) with the auto pilot off.
All you have to do is look at trains, they drive themselves down the track, but you still need a conductor. These types of trucks will be the same, they will handle the driving down the highway on long hauls, but you will still need a driver for all the other stuff…. so to all these drivers complaining that driverless trucks are going to take your jobs, don’t be so stupid and give yourself more credit, you do allot more than just drive the truck down the road.
These trucks are already legal in Nevada. You can only use autopilot during the day, on the freeway.
Crying about this makes us look like a bunch of babies. The trucks obviously can’t check in, drop and hook, do paperwork, get fuel, all that other jazz.
We’re obviously not going to be replaced, we’re going to be like pilots or train conductors. We’re going to sit back, make sure everything is fine, take over in emergencies, and when we’re stopping or getting going.
The technology for full automation has been present for decades. 30 years ago I flew corporate jets for a living and many of them, and some airliners were fully capable of auto-land. The problem is not the technology and all of its nuances, and headaches; the problem is the completely different scenario. In the air, Air Traffic Control knows where 99.9% of airplanes are; there are basic rules of separation, with which pilots have to comply (odd altitudes for courses 360-179 and even altitudes for courses 180-359); minimums for instrument approaches and minimum in-trail distances; max air speeds within certain airspace and within certain altitudes; altimeter settings; the list is long and complicated. The problem on the roads is; who monitors the 4 wheelers to make sure they keep their distance, 99.9% of the times? No one. And that’s why this is one of those concepts that only works on paper and in controlled environments. Not on the roads, which are plagued with idiots, construction, irregularities and all kinds of other variables that even on an interstate, will require a human eye.
Finally a well done reply to this article.
How would you equate driving a truck in comparison to a jet, like say on the whole?
Some one like you with your intelligence and vocabulary would sure be a good spokesman for our industry.
One of the arguments I get is that I’m standing in the way of progress.
Right. You can almost substitute a human, but not quite.
Full automation of trucking and virtually everything else is inevitable. It’s pnly a matter of time before a computer’s “eye” becomes better than a human eye. Eventually a computers “brain” will be superior to the human brain in evrey way whatsoever.
My concern is. What safety measures has freightliner has taken. To prevent the truck to be activated and drove remotely by disbatch? I can already see this happening. I can also see enoccent drivers and motorists getting killed by so automous truck being drove remotely by a greedy worriesom disbatcher. You don’t think it will happen. Guess again. Every last trucker out there. Will say they will try. And when the autonomous truck kills someone. Because is wasbbeing drove remotely by a person in a cubical. and then the driver that was asleep in the sleeper. Get blamed and convicted for the truck running over a motorist. And killing them. And yet another disbatcher cant be prosecuted for there action in the wreck. Remebering the crete wreck in lakebutler,Florida. And all the little kidsthat died. And the kids and parents who are for ever trumitized by the loss of a child in that wreck. So I think the autonomous truck no matter what some high paid CEO of freightliner says. Or any other truck manufature says. The autonomous trucks must remain off the market. Until the manufacturer of these trucks can prove that:
A: the computer system used for the autonomous mode. Is it’s own system separate for the ecm.
B: that the autonomous system cannot be set-up or be able to be linked to an communication system.
C: that there is a manual emergency shut down button that directly cut that power to the autonomous computer. And can’t not be overridden or removed without permantly damaging the autonomous computer and the trucks ecm.
The reason for my previous post.
A: make sure that they are truely drive activated only.
B: that they are anti-hackable.
C: that when the truck is stopped. It remains stopped.
D: that at anytime that the truck is in a wreck. And it is found that the truck was being drove remotely on the highways. That the parties involved in that. Gets an automatic sentence of 15 years in prison for there action of remotely operating a load cmv on public highways.
I honestly feel that they can be a positive thing for truckers. Knowing how to ensure the safest way to allow them on the road. And taking all the preventive steps to ensure that they remain safe on the road.
In a controlled environment. Like military, mining,farming. No one cares. Everyone knows they are robotic. And you can get hurt by them. This is different. We’re talking about using then on public highways where people get hurt. And sometimes die in a car wrecks. Autonomous trucks are a Pandora’s box. And one that should very carefully opened using every precaution as it is opened.
Trucking is a the largest Industry almost evreywhere in the world. Multibillions will keep going into automating trucking until trucking is fully automated. Maybe in 10 years maybe in 100 years but trucking will be automated. Trucking is a very complicated tasks but its only a matter of time. Technology will keep getting better and better. Eventually we will be surpased by machines in evrey way.
My personal experience with just the auto braking part of this as a local driver in Dallas, TX area is that the problem I have found is that when you are going around a curved road and their is a car turning or one just sitting at a side street, the collision avoidance system thinks you are fast approaching a stopped vehicle and applies the brake. This is dangerous especially in a curve. On several occasions it has scared the crap out of me. Also when driving down the freeway, if you are cut off suddenly, as happens frequently in some areas, the truck suddenly brakes. These are just some problems with the collision avoidance system, I can imagine all of the possible problems with it trying to drive itself. It can’t look and see possible dangers that we can. Ones that are farther away or to the right or left. I think we can get it to be a smarter cruise control, but we are no where near the point where they can “really” drive themselves… Just sayin’
Absolutely correct Daniel!
It’s one thing with a small hybrid doing it (Google Car), but a fully loaded semi??? Scam artists will intentionally have accidents with them just to get paid!
So, when a 4 wheeler cuts off an auto truck and cause an accident (like they do now!!) how or who will DOT determine who gets the points on the CSA? Will the company CSA score automatically take a hit like it does now with drivers in the seat? The whole concept is flawed because we’d be dependent on computer systems which will undoubtably fail at some point. Once the first Auto Truck death is sued for Billions they’ll stop it altogether.
The main issue I have with this system is that it is kind of backwards compared to all other safety systems. Other systems like radar and ABS are there to aid a driver or react if a driver doesn’t. I don’t have an issue with a system like radar once they get them more reliable. If someone pulls out in front of you, applying the brakes until you take over is reasonable. If you lock the brakes up, the ABS gets the tires rolling again for better control, that makes sense.
With this system, when something goes wrong, the driver must take control. A computer doesn’t get bored or distracted, it’s always ready to react when you don’t. Now it’s the human that needs to react when there’s an issue with a computer. Eventually a driver will get comfortable with systems like this and learn to trust them a certain amount. Enough to become distracted with that tablet, checking phone messages or whatever. They said it themselves, it frees the driver to do other tasks. Is a person going to react fast enough if something goes wrong fast?
Well,they better come up with self-defrosting highways while they’re at it.Can’t wait to see one of these trucks lose it on icy roads.I’ve driven a couple of these trucks,and they apply the brakes too hard when a car pulls out in front.Scared the crap out of me.Just like the old F-14 pilot said,”There ain’t no substitute for the Mk.1 eyeball.”Another thing,”anti-hackable?”There ain’t no such thing.
There will not be a fully autonomous tractor trailer for a very long time because of two things…accountability and liability. Period! Imagine a truck and trailer going down a deserted highway. A convoy of pickup and straight trucks come up from behind, quickly surround and force the truck and trailer to come to a complete stop. Now these “highway pirates” break the trailer, take what they want, take their time loading up their pickups and straight trucks.
Drivers will always be in a truck. The companies will continue to pay drivers well and competitively. The company will have to eliminate costs in order to do this however. What will be eliminated are dispatchers, safety directors, IFTA and tax professionals. Essentially companies will hire professional CDL holders with management skills to operate the vehicle. While the vehicle is autonomous, the driver will use their time to process paperwork, file IFTA/tax, dispatch their own vehicle, load plan, and manage time. The truck will become a rolling office in its truest form. It isn’t the driver who will be eliminated but the office staff supporting the driver. The days of the unskilled, careless steering wheel holder are numbered. They will be replaced with skilled professionals with management qualities and a CDL.
There was a time when having a “robot” with a highest AI was a “no problem”…
Your “robot” had to listen and bend to any of yours desires.
You could desire of your robot to drive, to cook, to teach, to heal, anything you wished. You could even desire of it to “bend over”…
Can you guess when in time were these incredibly advanced AI “robots” “available”?
In ancient times: Egyptian, Roman, Greek…
The incredibly advanced AI “robots” then had the name “SLAVE”.
…but then, slaves became stronger and fought for their freedom.
I think you cannot simply replace a workplace with an AI when that workplace asks of its holder to have a conscience and to make consciousness decisions.
And professional drivers do make these kind of decisions.
…and, if somehow someone makes an AI “robot” that can make a consciousness decisions and replace us humans then , I believe, it would be only a question of time when these “robots” will start asking for their rights and for their right to vote.
(by the way, I don’t understand this term: “artificial intelligence” – it is either “artificial” or “intelligence” . It cannot be both at the same time)