A field test suggests that self-driving trucks not subject to driver hours-of-service (HOS) limits can reduce coast-to-coast travel times by 60 percent.

A trucking company evaluated self-driving technology on a test run from Los Angeles, California to Jacksonville, Florida.

Date Posted
07/22/2019
Identifier
2019-B01382
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Embark Self-Driving Truck Completes Coast-to-Coast Test Run

Summary Information

A modified tractor was outfitted with an array of sensors and self-driving software to complete a 2,400 mile trip. The trip took place over five days along the length of Interstate 10 across the southern United States.



The truck used a combination of cameras, radar and lidar to track the vehicle's environment, as well as a form of artificial intelligence to process the data captured by the sensors. The use of machine learning enabled it to complete its coast-to-coast run without undergoing the expensive and time-consuming process of premapping the entire route. A driver, however, was required during the field test to actively monitor the vehicle's progress as it drove itself on the highway. This caused the trip to take five days as the driver was required to operate within hours-of-service limits.

FINDINGS

The source report suggested that if Level-4 self driving technology were used the truck could have made the same trip in two days operating around the clock decreasing the overall trip time by 60 percent.

Goal Areas
Results Type
Deployment Locations