Autonomous Trucks?

[Kirk W]

Driverless Truck Succesfully Travels More Than 80 Miles on Open Public Roads

[sandsys]

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

Driverless Truck Succesfully Travels More Than 80 Miles on Open Public Roads

I watched about 15 minutes of the video. My thoughts so far are that it drove at night when there would be less traffic. It drove from terminal to terminal so there was no need to figure out how to back into a customer's slot although I don't know what it did at the Phoenix terminal. All the traffic lights in Tucson were either already green on approach or turned green as the truck approached which made me wonder if one of the accompanying police cars was triggering the change.

Linda

[RV_]

You're right Linda. The implication is they are level 5 fully autonomous, and they are not. They plan on a limited planned routes which are closer to airport shuttles traveling a closed circuit than fully self driving out in traffic without pre-routing. 

The main differences between the Level 5 and Level 4 autonomy is in the latter the automated driving features can drive the vehicle under limited conditions, and work only when those conditions are met, while a level 5 system allows a vehicle to drive itself under all conditions and pretty much everywhere.

 

From Kirk's source article link to the company:

"TuSimple is a global autonomous driving technology company, headquartered in San Diego, California with operations in Arizona, Texas, China, Japan, and Europe. Founded in 2015, TuSimple is developing a commercial-ready Level 4 (SAE) fully autonomous driving solution for long-haul heavy-duty trucks.

What is the Autonomous Freight Network?

The Autonomous Freight Network (AFN) is a freight transportation network allowing autonomous trucks to move freight from point to point to strategically located, high volume locations. The AFN is made possible through an ecosystem consisting of autonomous trucks, digital mapped routes, strategically placed terminals, and TuSimple Connect, a proprietary autonomous operations monitoring system. Collectively these components work together to create reliable, low-cost freight capacity.

Truck Terminals

These launch pads serve as start and end points for our digitally mapped routes and offer controlled access 24 hours/day, 365 days a year."

Source for all the above and more showing their limited technology. they are developing limited access safe routes for their level 4, not level 5, autonmous with limitations/restrictions is here:

https://www.tusimple.com/

Edited December 31, 2021 by RV_

[Kirk W]

12 hours ago, sandsys said:

My thoughts so far are that

While I'd agree that it looks to have been pretty preliminary, there have been several other tests by other companies that are working on it but I think that may have been the first without anyone in the cab to monitor things. There was a TV report out of El Paso done on the Dallas news several months ago that showed them riding along with a tech who was monitoring one of the trucks as it traveled in heavy traffic in that area. It appeared that the operator did nothing but monitor for safety but who knows for sure. It is kind of interesting that someone who defends Tesla's movement in that direction is critical of me posting a link to the truck story. I'm not sure why since I neither criticize nor defend the story, only point it out.  😊

In the community where we live there are numerous older drivers who I believe some of the features now being introduced like lane following and following too close would be a good thing! More autonomy might make some older drivers less risky? 

[sandsys]

The trucking industry does a lot of interesting things. For instance: in Parker, AZ, a UPS truck comes from the north and one comes from the south, they meet in Parker and swap trailers, then return to their home terminals. The driving part of that could be autonomous if it wasn't for the need to swap trailers and if they actually owned the lot where they swap trailers instead of having to take their chances on what space would be available. There are so many innovative things happening that most of us have no knowledge of. I only know about the swap because I saw it happen then our daughter explained to me what I had seen.

Swift has a terminal in the Minneapolis area so, when our daughter drove for them, she could bring a load to that terminal, drive her tractor to visit us for a couple of days, then pick up another load to head back towards home. She couldn't stay long but those short visits were great!

She also drove to Quartzsite, dropped her trailer at a truck stop there, and visited me for a couple days before picking up her trailer and continuing her trip.

She's no longer driving OTR because she wants to be home more with her new husband. But, the two of them drove their car here to visit since she could take more than two days off so I'm not complaining.

Linda

[RV_]

 

 

"Someone" who posts a lot of anti Tesla posts sometimes way off topic who I now know might disappear at any moment  wrote: "It is kind of interesting that someone who defends Tesla's movement in that direction is critical of me posting a link to the truck story. I'm not sure why since I neither criticize nor defend the story, only point it out.  😊" OMG! who did that? "Someone?"  You are too funny. Could you show me where Linda did that? Because I posted the facts from the website of the company your article referenced, please show  which words were or are  critical of you? 

The company is who I referenced. No vague "I saw it on TV" or "read it" or "someone said."? My post was excerpts and explaining the difference between Level 4 and level 5 autonomous systems. I thought it also amazing they have been in existence only six years and claim a worldwide presence, but are experimenting with a fixed run similar to Tesla postulated but did not pursue to use fixed runs between terminal warehouses. The company did not claim to be level five but the excerpts from their website is about them. "Someone" thinks it is always about them.  It isn't.

[Dutch_12078]

A couple of years I saw some testing videos of a standard OTR van that was retrofitted with a hydraulic landing gear operated from the tractor cab. The rig was also equipped with a driver controlled "stinger" articulated arm that docked with a port on the trailer for air and electric connections. The combination allowed a complete hookup and unhook without any need to leave the cab. I wondered then if it was being tested for use with autonomous driven trucks. It seemed like the only thing missing was a way to open the van doors before docking, but that shouldn't be difficult to engineer.

[dennisvr]

11 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

 It seemed like the only thing missing was a way to open the van doors before docking, but that shouldn't be difficult to engineer.

They could use a roll up door.  

[Kirk W]

12 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

I wondered then if it was being tested for use with autonomous driven trucks.

I'd think that something of that sort would be attractive to most drivers and probably the major truck lines as a labor saving device. I don't spend enough time around big trucks to know much about that process or how it has changed but wouldn't be surprised to see it happening. I've lived long enough to learn that predicting what will or won't happen is usually foolish.  😊

[Dutch_12078]

55 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

I'd think that something of that sort would be attractive to most drivers and probably the major truck lines as a labor saving device. I don't spend enough time around big trucks to know much about that process or how it has changed but wouldn't be surprised to see it happening. I've lived long enough to learn that predicting what will or won't happen is usually foolish.  😊

My concern there would be that drivers typically do at least a cursory walk around inspection before pulling out. I suppose that could be handled with appropriately placed cameras though. One downside might be that the trailer and tractor would be limited to only using similarly equipped tractors and trailers, but over time and industry acceptance of a standard, that issue would diminish.

[Dutch_12078]

1 hour ago, dennisvr said:

They could use a roll up door.  

That's one possibility...

[gjhunter01]

Autonomous electric trucks would be a good deal for transporting shipping containers. There would be no need for a cab, just a steerable flat bed trailer with a active GPS system and replaceable battery pack. The battery pack could be switched out at truck stops as programed along the way and the container could be loaded/unloaded in any yard using autonomous cranes. 

Existing technology is being used on Mars rovers along with auto pilot planes and auto steer tractors. The main reason for the slow progress in autonomous vehicles is mankinds inherently primitive resistance to change. The technology is already here! History repeats itself, just like the automobile and horse replacement debate that went on a 100 years ago.

Edited January 2, 2022 by gjhunter01

[sandsys]

46 minutes ago, gjhunter01 said:

Autonomous electric trucks would be a good deal for transporting shipping containers. There would be no need for a cab, just a steerable flat bed trailer with a active GPS system and replaceable battery pack.

I'm picturing the reaction of other drivers as a trailer with no tractor moves down a freeway.

Reminds me of the story of the guy driving a car transporter at night when the truck's headlights went out. He climbed up the rack and turned on the headlights of the leading car. As he drove along a guy coming towards him suddenly veered off the road. Stopping to see what happened the guy who wrecked his car said, "I looked at how tall that was and wondered how wide it would be."

Linda

[Kirk W]

9 hours ago, gjhunter01 said:

Existing technology is being used on Mars rovers along with auto pilot planes and auto steer tractors.

Quote

According to our survey, 36% of farmers in our community are already using a tractor autosteer system.          Sep 13, 2019

I worked on what amounted to an autopilot for submarines back in the 60's. It was called auto steering & diving system and worked pretty much like an autopilot of that day. My grandson has confirmed for me that it is much refined today. Those systems are coming whether we like it or not. Listening to some comments reminds me of my grandmother who said that men would never walk on the moon.  😏

[Barbaraok]

Anyone using the phrase "There will never be ......." broadcasts their inability to imagine.   Most kids today do not understand the reference to "Dick Tracy Watch", but they are wearing them!   People laughed when Steve Jobs said he wanted a computer in every home,  we now have 2 computers, 2 smartphones and a tablet in ours.   My grandfather was born in 1880, lived on the Montana prairie, where he rounded up wild horses for the Army, owned a livery stable where the first cars were serviced,  helped build Grand Coulee Dam, and flew in a commercial airline before he died.  Mom was born in a Soddy on that Montana prairie in 1922 and lived to be 97.  The number of changes in her lifetime were huge.  She even flew to Australia with her granddaughter in 1999.  She never could figure out how to use a computer, but was always thrilled for us to pull up things for her to read, etc.    

I feel sorry for those who have lost the ability to imagine, to wonder at what is on the horizon and hope that the problems of tomorrow are conquered because people continue to dream and ask "Why Not?
 

[ms60ocb]

1 hour ago, Barbaraok said:

Anyone using the phrase "There will never be ......." broadcasts their inability to imagine.   Most kids today do not understand the reference to "Dick Tracy Watch", but they are wearing them!   

I feel sorry for those who have lost the ability to imagine, to wonder at what is on the horizon and hope that the problems of tomorrow are conquered because people continue to dream and ask "Why Not?
 

Ditto

[RV_]

On 1/2/2022 at 8:26 AM, Barbaraok said:

Anyone using the phrase "There will never be ......." broadcasts their inability to imagine.   Most kids today do not understand the reference to "Dick Tracy Watch", but they are wearing them!   People laughed when Steve Jobs said he wanted a computer in every home,  we now have 2 computers, 2 smartphones and a tablet in ours.   My grandfather was born in 1880, lived on the Montana prairie, where he rounded up wild horses for the Army, owned a livery stable where the first cars were serviced,  helped build Grand Coulee Dam, and flew in a commercial airline before he died.  Mom was born in a Soddy on that Montana prairie in 1922 and lived to be 97.  The number of changes in her lifetime were huge.  She even flew to Australia with her granddaughter in 1999.  She never could figure out how to use a computer, but was always thrilled for us to pull up things for her to read, etc.    

I feel sorry for those who have lost the ability to imagine, to wonder at what is on the horizon and hope that the problems of tomorrow are conquered because people continue to dream and ask "Why Not?
 

X3 Barb,

Some of us are not just open to the idea, some of us are driving them already be they BEVs or hybrids, I have not yet met an owner who was not thrilled with their BEV  or late model hybrid.

But man have there been lots of folks telling us owners negatives about our cars and have not even test driven them (free) out of curiosity. 😅 Regardless of whether any of us older folks here like or dislike them, there is no doubt the industry is switching fast as they can. But autonomous driving or even adaptive cruise controls like Tesla's Autopilot which I use every time I drive which is not FSD or level 5 full self driving, despite many confusing autopilot with FSD.

Just remember that today we already have railroad tracks and subways that still require a driver/engineer/monitor/safety person despite having no chance to leave the tracks barring too much speed or damaged tracks or a vehicle on the tracks.

Full level 5 autonomous vehicles without tracks will be a while yet. It might even be the proverbial 5 years out! 😉

Edited January 4, 2022 by RV_

[packnrat]

On 12/31/2021 at 5:13 AM, Kirk W said:

While I'd agree that it looks to have been pretty preliminary, there have been several other tests by other companies that are working on it but I think that may have been the first without anyone in the cab to monitor things. There was a TV report out of El Paso done on the Dallas news several months ago that showed them riding along with a tech who was monitoring one of the trucks as it traveled in heavy traffic in that area. It appeared that the operator did nothing but monitor for safety but who knows for sure. It is kind of interesting that someone who defends Tesla's movement in that direction is critical of me posting a link to the truck story. I'm not sure why since I neither criticize nor defend the story, only point it out.  😊

In the community where we live there are numerous older drivers who I believe some of the features now being introduced like lane following and following too close would be a good thing! More autonomy might make some older drivers less risky? 

you try driving with a camera a mic and buzzers and blinding lights on the dash. you do wrong you get wrote-up. with a couple you get layed off.  the lights and buzzers are a very big distraction. one even goes off from trees hat are not even close to the rd. auto breaking is a death trap. it cut my speed by 30 mph just because someone on the off-ramp hit there brakes. i was on the freeway. the rig behind me almost plowed into me. the auto release (aka anti skid) brakes bring some rigs to a hurkey jurky stop.

not all of this "new fangled" junk is worth a (*).

i have 40 years driving class A, no accidents. tickets are based on the county's cash needs.

 

want a computer driving 80K pounds down the hwy... we all know computer never fail.

but yes i see a lot of the new kids coming out of the shake-n-bake schools. they should get another line of work.

Edited February 18, 2022 by packnrat

[packnrat]

On 1/2/2022 at 7:26 AM, Barbaraok said:

Anyone using the phrase "There will never be ......." broadcasts their inability to imagine.   Most kids today do not understand the reference to "Dick Tracy Watch", but they are wearing them!   People laughed when Steve Jobs said he wanted a computer in every home,  we now have 2 computers, 2 smartphones and a tablet in ours.   My grandfather was born in 1880, lived on the Montana prairie, where he rounded up wild horses for the Army, owned a livery stable where the first cars were serviced,  helped build Grand Coulee Dam, and flew in a commercial airline before he died.  Mom was born in a Soddy on that Montana prairie in 1922 and lived to be 97.  The number of changes in her lifetime were huge.  She even flew to Australia with her granddaughter in 1999.  She never could figure out how to use a computer, but was always thrilled for us to pull up things for her to read, etc.    

I feel sorry for those who have lost the ability to imagine, to wonder at what is on the horizon and hope that the problems of tomorrow are conquered because people continue to dream and ask "Why Not?
 

can any of today's "kids" use a etch-a-scratch? most need a computer to tell them what to do, and/or do it for them.