Self Driving Semi

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The first self driving semi delivered it's first load today.

Originally Posted By: Article
For this initial delivery, Otto’s truck departed Anheuser-Busch’s facility in Loveland, Colo., in the early morning before reaching the interstate in Fort Collins. The truck drove through Denver — alongside regular passenger car traffic — and navigated to its destination in Colorado Springs without incident.

Otto said a trained driver was in the cabin of the truck at all times to monitor the vehicle’s progress and take over if necessary. At no point was the driver required to intervene, the company said.

Future expansion of the pilot program will allow Otto to test for more types of road and weather conditions, a major factor in autonomous vehicle route plotting.


Article

The first run was a beer delivery for Anheuser-Busch.
 
And beer routes are one of the most stable routes in the industry. In fact, there is more business during recessions.
 
So far they've been quite safe.

I work for [removed]. We had a meeting a few months ago and an Otto guy gave a short presentation on the trucks. Really cool, but a little scary.
 
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Originally Posted By: Nick1994
So far they've been quite safe.

I work for Swift Transportation. We had a meeting a few months ago and an Otto guy gave a short presentation on the trucks. Really cool, but a little scary.


No kidding. I just had an interview over at Swift yesterday.
 
All the remaining workers and a robot tax will be needed to pay off the remaining workers welfare unless WW III kills off all the extra people . Look at the Georgia Guide stones for a hint. The insiders are telling us the plan but the sleepy people will never wake up.
 
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
So far they've been quite safe.

I work for [removed]. We had a meeting a few months ago and an Otto guy gave a short presentation on the trucks. Really cool, but a little scary.


No kidding. I just had an interview over at Swift yesterday.
Nice! What department?

I wish you luck!

Edit: Saw you do IT work
crackmeup2.gif
I work in the IT Department here.
 
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Wonder how they will handle traffic on major interstates. Will it try to pass other rigs and hold up traffic for miles. Would timing be a factor as in being on time, etc. I really wonder.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
So far they've been quite safe.

I work for Swift Transportation. We had a meeting a few months ago and an Otto guy gave a short presentation on the trucks. Really cool, but a little scary.


No kidding. I just had an interview over at Swift yesterday.
Nice! What department?

I wish you luck!

Edit: Saw you do IT work
crackmeup2.gif
I work in the IT Department here.


Yep.. IT, with a focus on Security at this point. Don't suppose you were one of the guys I interviewed with? THAT would be funny.
 
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
So far they've been quite safe.

I work for Swift Transportation. We had a meeting a few months ago and an Otto guy gave a short presentation on the trucks. Really cool, but a little scary.


No kidding. I just had an interview over at Swift yesterday.
Nice! What department?

I wish you luck!

Edit: Saw you do IT work
crackmeup2.gif
I work in the IT Department here.


Yep.. IT, with a focus on Security at this point. Don't suppose you were one of the guys I interviewed with? THAT would be funny.
Lol not me, I work on the help desk. I'm guessing you interviewed with Trey?
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: SirTanon


No kidding. I just had an interview over at Swift yesterday.
Nice! What department?

I wish you luck!

Edit: Saw you do IT work
crackmeup2.gif
I work in the IT Department here.


Yep.. IT, with a focus on Security at this point. Don't suppose you were one of the guys I interviewed with? THAT would be funny.
Lol not me, I work on the help desk. I'm guessing you interviewed with Trey?


Trey was one of 4 people in the room with me, yeah. It was an interesting interview.
laugh.gif
 
Nice concept for certain cargo on specific routs.

I'd be curious to see how the system handles a break-down, which is all too common with the modern day tractor. Current emissions compliant tractors kill the engine after so many seconds of a flashing yellow and red check engine light, regardless of where you are. Happens ALL the time.
The industry I work in is all hazmat. I don't see a self driving liquid hydrogen trailer happening any time soon.
 
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Well and what about hijacking one of those trucks? Just box it in with a car in front and one to its left in a tunnel where it can't call for help. Bust the lock on the trailer and wheel in another tractor...

Or it gets stuck in the snow on a hill because its robot brain gives up too easily for liability reasons? Oops, >10% tire slip, better put on the hazards and message for help.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Well and what about hijacking one of those trucks? Just box it in with a car in front and one to its left in a tunnel where it can't call for help. Bust the lock on the trailer and wheel in another tractor...

Or it gets stuck in the snow on a hill because its robot brain gives up too easily for liability reasons? Oops, >10% tire slip, better put on the hazards and message for help.
There's still a driver behind the wheel.
 
On edge cases it will average out between expert driver and noob. I wonder if they can better program a self drive truck to go off road instead of hitting another vehicle as there is not a driver to protect.

On snow driving my guess is ping your on call remote driver (retired truck driver?) to take over odd situations from the remote system. On hijack it seems pretty simple to implement brakes that auto magicallly lock when uncoupled from tractor improperly.
 
Originally Posted By: WillsYoda
Truck driver is now the #1 most common job in most states today, and almost all of those jobs will be gone in a couple decades. The top jobs used to be secretaries (replaced by computers) and factory workers (replaced by robots) and farmers (replaced by large machines).

http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/02/05/382664837/map-the-most-common-job-in-every-state


New jobs will be created that don't even exist today. Who will make and design all this new tech? As far as GDP is concerned trading off trucker jobs for high end tech jobs is a major win.
 
Originally Posted By: KingCake
As far as GDP is concerned trading off trucker jobs for high end tech jobs is a major win.


Unless you're a displaced Trucker..
 
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