Uber’s self-driving truck made its first delivery.
Chances are, you’ve heard that the popular taxi or ride sharing app Uber has started to test out an expansion into the world of self-driving trucks. A little over one month ago, that self-driving truck made its first delivery of 45,000 Budweiser beers. Want to know more about Uber’s self-driving truck and its journey? Read on!
Wait a Second, a Self-Driving Truck?!
Uber purchased Otto, a self-driving truck startup, and used the technology to complete the drive. There was a professional truck driver in the vehicle the entire time in case anything went wrong, but he never even needed to intervene. The self-driving truck was able to properly maneuver from exit to exit, but the truck driver did need to control the vehicle when it was time to exit or enter the highway.
What Does a Self-Driving Truck Mean for Me?
Uber, while it may seem like they are trying to replace traditional trucks with self-driven ones, does not want to take your job! The self-driving truck technology that they used to deliver the beer only works for highway driving. It cannot deal with or navigate around the countless obstacles you face during your daily drives like pedestrians, four way stop signs, or kids playing near the street on bicycles. The self-driving truck is essentially programmed to, at all times, maintain a safe following distance and change lanes only when it absolutely needs to.
I’m Still Not Convinced!
If that didn’t convince you that Uber’s self-driving trucks won’t replace skilled truck drivers, Otto’s founder himself believes that the future of trucking is a local one. Trucks will be essentially trains, where the driver is responsible for the initial beginning transport and the final navigation to the destination but not much else. In the future, self-driving trucks will drive on the interstate and then stop at depot-like facilities where skilled truck drivers will take over for the last few miles into town.
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Tags: automation, self-driving truck, Uber