Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/805422
Business 24 | Overdrive | April 2017 Within the span of a week in late February and early March, two California-based startups announced intentions to develop retrofit sys- tems to convert existing tractors into autonomous rigs. The companies join the Uber- owned Otto in that venture. Otto in late 2016 ran two successful autono- mous tests, one in Colorado and one in Ohio. The two latest retrofitters, Embark and Starsky Robotics, say they don't intend to bump drivers from truck cabs. Both have begun testing their systems in closed courses. Their announcements point to a hotter race for truck automation, with traditional truck makers, Silicon Valley startups, states and trade groups jockeying for leadership posi- tions. Embark hopes to deploy its sys- tem for $50,000 per truck and focus on trucker-friendly operation, says co-founder Alex Rodrigues. The company already has run 10,000 miles of tests, he says. Starsky Robotics wants to develop remote control technology, particularly for final-mile delivery. "A lot of Silicon Valley types are barely ever talking to anyone who's ever spent any time on the road," says Stefan Seltz-Axmacher, a Starsky co-founder. "Our sixth employee was a truck driv- er. We came at this from a trucking-first perspective rather than a technology-first perspective. We're this uncomfortable mix of a trucking company and a tech- nology company." California-based techies aren't the only companies vying for a piece of the autonomous pie, however. In March, Volvo Trucks announced a successful test run of its platooning technology developed in collaboration with Peloton. Three VNL 670 model tractors hauled cargo containers in simulated real- world conditions, Volvo says, travel- ing at 55 mph while maintaining a 50-foot following distance — closer than usual for most on-highway tractor-trailers. Volvo leveraged an advanced cruise control system for the test. Iowa is positioning itself to become a proving ground for platooning tech- nology. Platoons could begin travers- ing the state's highways within a year, says Mark Lowe, interim director of the state's DOT. Lowe stressed the state isn't investing in the develop- ment or deployment of the technol- ogy, but simply giving manufacturers space to explore. Despite the rapid pace at which the private sector is working on the tech- nology and limited interest from the federal and state governments, a coa- lition of large carriers has positioned itself against fully automated rigs. The Trucking Alliance, represent- ing Swift, J.B. Hunt, KLLM, Knight, U.S. Xpress and others, has said it supports autonomous technology as long as it doesn't boot drivers from truck cabs. "Driver are integral to supply chain accountability, as well as managing unforeseen weather events, emer- gencies, detours, vehicle conditions, computer software programs, cyber- security disruptions, cargo security and in providing efficient customer service," the group said in a prepared statement. – James Jaillet Autonomous truck race heats up Embark unveiled its autonomous retrofit system in February, saying it hopes to deploy it for $50,000 per truck. In March, Volvo completed its first on-highway platooning test in California, employing autonomous technology.