Self-Driving Big Rigs Become a Reality

drinkypoo writes: We've been discussing the importance of automating over-the-road trucking here on Slashdot whenever self-driving vehicles come up in conversation. Jalopnik reports that the Freightliner "Inspiration Truck" will be the first autonomous commercial truck to drive on American roads. It's been given the green light to start testing its self-driving technology on the roads of Nevada. A human will be present at the wheel at all times, and will take control whenever the truck is in more populated areas. "Given a big trucks' long stopping distances and limited maneuverability, driving one requires the ability to correctly predict what's going to happen far out ahead. That requires foresight and intuition that are difficult to program into computers."

Comments

What could possibly go wrong

[fropenn]

1. Drive your car in front of a self-driving rig
2. Bring your car to a stop, thus forcing the rig to stop
3. Help yourself to whatever goodies the truck is hauling
4. Profit!