Self-driving trucks are on the horizon in America, with Pittsburgh-based Aurora Innovation set to start hauling freight on Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston with 20 driverless trucks later this year. The goal is to eventually have thousands of self-driving trucks on the roads, aiming to speed up the flow of goods, accelerate delivery times, and potentially lower costs. These trucks, equipped with 25 sensors, are expected to travel on public freeways and cover short distances on secondary roads as well.
Despite the potential benefits, a poll conducted by AAA in January found that 66% of Americans would fear riding in an autonomous vehicle, indicating a level of skepticism and hesitation towards the technology. Aurora and its competitors plan to start running freight routes in Texas, where snow and ice are rare, marking a shift from the initial focus on autonomous ride-hailing in large cities. The self-driving trucks are expected to become the first computer-controlled vehicles deployed in significant numbers on public roads.
While companies developing autonomous trucks argue that their vehicles will be safer than human-driven ones due to advanced sensors and the elimination of factors like distraction and fatigue, safety advocates remain skeptical. With minimal federal regulation in place, companies are essentially responsible for determining the safety standards for the trucks. There is concern about how these vehicles will fare in real-world situations and what trade-offs might be made between safety and cost.
Testing of self-driving trucks on controlled environments like test tracks has shown promising results, with vehicles being able to autonomously detect and avoid road obstacles. Aurora trucks have autonomously hauled freight over 1 million miles on public highways, with only three crashes, all caused by mistakes from human drivers in other vehicles. However, there have been other reported crashes involving autonomous semis, with instances where human safety drivers had to take over just before the crash.
The lack of specific federal regulations for autonomous vehicles raises concerns about public safety and oversight. Most states also lack regulations regarding autonomous vehicles, leaving it up to companies to determine when their self-driving trucks are safe for deployment. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration can intervene after incidents occur but have limited preventive authority. While efforts are being made to establish safety standards for trucks with automated driving systems, the timeline for implementing these rules remains uncertain.
Amidst the ongoing debate surrounding autonomous trucks, concerns about job displacement in the trucking industry are also prominent. The Teamsters union is advocating for state legislatures to require human drivers to monitor self-driving systems, citing safety concerns. Industry estimates show a shortage of 64,000 truck drivers, with worries that autonomous trucks could eventually replace human drivers entirely, affecting their livelihoods. Despite these concerns, companies like Aurora believe that self-driving trucks will complement the work of human drivers by helping meet the increasing demand for moving goods in a growing population.
