With each passing year, we are closer to a revolution in transportation. What once seemed so distant and unrealistic is just around the corner. As early as 2025, we can expect that autonomous trucks will become a common sight on our roads, completely changing the face of logistics.
Plus, a company specializing in technologies used in autonomous – unmanned vehicles, is intensifying its truck tests on public roads in Texas and Sweden. By conducting tests simultaneously on two continents, Plus is “teaching” its software to drive in different weather conditions, from the extreme heat in Texas to the snow in Sweden, while complying with different traffic regulations, and also taking into account the design differences between American and European trucks. By collaborating with leading truck manufacturers, such as International, Scania and MAN, Plus is approaching the achievement of its main goal, which is to introduce fully autonomous trucks to the market as early as 2027. Plus’s IT specialists have developed the SuperDrive system, which is based on advanced artificial intelligence. Trucks equipped with SuperDrive can move independently on roads, dealing with various traffic situations, such as traffic jams, roadworks or even unusual maneuvers. Although there is still a driver behind the wheel for now, Plus’s goal is to create vehicles that will be able to travel long distances without the need for human intervention.
On Plus’s website (www.plus.ai) you can watch a video where an International truck equipped with SuperDrive travels a 170-mile route in Texas from San Antonio to Laredo. The driver sits behind the wheel monitoring the system, but the virtual driver software handled the entire journey without the need for human intervention at any point.
During the several-hour journey, the system independently coped with many situations, including local traffic with unsecured turns, rush hour traffic jams, roadworks and even U-turn sections of highways unique to Texas, before reaching its destination.
In summary, we must state that the autonomous truck market is developing at a rapid pace, and Plus is one of the leaders. Autonomous trucks have enormous potential to revolutionize the transport industry, hopefully to the benefit of both transport companies and society. The introduction of autonomous trucks is a complex and multifaceted process. On the one hand, it offers many benefits, such as increased safety, efficiency and innovation. On the other hand, it brings a number of challenges, such as unemployment, ethical issues and cybersecurity.
Experts’ opinions are divided, but most agree that autonomous trucks are the future of transport. However, proper preparation for this change will be crucial, both technologically and socially.
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