Big Rigs Go High Tech

pottercw writes "Trucking may not seem like a high-tech industry to the casual observer, but major carriers are starting to adopt an array of emerging technologies to combat rising fuel costs, tighter regulation and fierce competition. The technologies include systems that monitor and communicate vehicle conditions and performance, enhanced GPSs that keep tabs on tractors and trailers, and safety systems which issue warnings or even take action to help drivers avoid an accident — all working in real time. Computerworld has a cool mouseover diagram highlighting some of the gadgets we're beginning to see on high-tech trucks."

Comments

You cannot let this article stay posted!

[Anonymous Coward]

Once everyone finds out that the Semi Trucks drive themselves, the truckers' union will overthrow society!

Re:You cannot let this article stay posted!

[eln]

Nah, they'll just find some other scam like bootlegging Beanie Babies.

Big Red

[Wrexs0ul]

Slashdot really needs to get with the times. The Navitron Autodrive System is nearly ten year-old news, though remains a little known secret known to many truckers falling asleep at the wheel.

If only it could have saved poor Red from beef poisoning at Sirloin A Lot, sadly that feature was still in beta.

-Matt

viva Homer!

Re:Big Red

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't want anything stopping what happened near chicago the past week, a semi loaded with oreos crashed and sent those lovely cookies all over the road, i have like a basket full of em!

Re:Big Red

[sporkme]

My father was in charge of international maintenance for Celadon trucking for several years, ending something like ten years ago. Certain incidents involving roadway accidents fell under his purview, including bridge entrapment (remotely authorize the release of air pressure from tires), accidents suspected to be caused by equipment failure, and one particular snarl that required his travel to the accident scene:

This predates graphical GPS navigation systems, but efforts had been made in this direction to facilitate the on time arrival of loads. Someone would have to travel the route in advance, marking significant coordinates and noting instructions to be carried out as they are reached. One note was made, "turn left at the railroad tracks."

One driver made the judgment that this meant that he should actually steer his rig onto the railroad tracks. He succeeded. Fortunately, a passing motorist called the police, who contacted the rail authorities who stopped the trains. It cost the company significantly in delayed rail freight costs and such, and the driver was found to be heavily influenced by drugs.

Re:Big Red

[Oktober Sunset]

They solved that years ago with CB radio...

I'm heading west, and I'm looking for a whore!

Re:Big Red

[sjbe]

The father of a classmate of mine many years ago owned a trucking company and as you might expect he occasionally got calls to deal with accidents as you might expect. One evening he gets a call that one of his trucks was stuck under a bridge that was too short for the truck to fit under. He goes to the scene and sure enough, the driver had rammed the truck nice and tightly underneath even though the bridge was clearly marked as having too little clearance for the truck to make it. When asked the driver reportedly said "I thought if I sped up I could make it."

!!!

I'm not sure if any drugs were involved but gross stupidity clearly was a contributing factor.

Am I the only one...

[Anonymous Coward]

Who read the title and thought "OH NO, A SEQUEL!?"

What will the future bring?

[jeffmeden]

Maybe some day, hundreds of truckloads of shipments will be piloted by one (maybe two) people. Who knows, maybe there will be just one engine for a hundred containers, and it will be smart enough to generate energy very efficiently, regulate it's own speed, and react to hazards. Maybe they will even make special thoroughfares criss-crossing the nation, on which these super-movers of the future will ride on... The future is bright indeed! I just have one question: what might we call them?

GPS

[Repton]

Will it stop directing them through tiny villages with roads too narrow to cope?

Re:Train

[bjackson1]

A train? Welcome to the 19th century. James Watt will be proud. Wooosh!

Re:Oblig

[maxume]

Ayn Rand hasn't been hoping for anything for quite a while.