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Tesla Looking To Start Testing Autonomous Semi In 'Platoon' Formation (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Tesla is developing a long-haul, electric semi-truck that can drive itself and move in "platoons" that automatically follow a lead vehicle, and is getting closer to testing a prototype, according to an email discussion of potential road tests between the car company and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), seen by Reuters. The correspondence and meeting show that Tesla is putting self-driving technology into the electric truck it has said it plans to unveil in September, and is advancing toward real-life tests, potentially moving it forward in a highly competitive area of commercial transport also being pursued by Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] and Alphabet Inc's Waymo. After announcing intentions a year ago to produce a heavy-duty electric truck, Musk tweeted in April that the semi-truck would be revealed in September, and repeated that commitment at the company's annual shareholder meeting in June, but he has never mentioned any autonomous-driving capabilities. An email exchange in May and June between Tesla and Nevada DMV representatives included an agenda for a June 16 meeting, along with the Nevada Department of Transportation, to discuss testing of two prototype trucks in Nevada, according to the exchange seen by Reuters.
Trains, but in the middle lane on the freeway, blocking other vehicles from merging.
If they're in the middle lane, how are they blocking other vehicles from merging?
Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
A large convoy packed nose to tail will do it. You're gonna miss your exit. They will have to put the convoy in the left lane, out of the way from the on/off ramps.
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
I'm not really sure where the comment saying that the cargo would be the battery comes from.
I'm not sure if they're talking volume or weight - I assumed that the same volume used by a traditional cab would be batteries (as I presume for manually moving the cab in small spaces, a controller, like the ones used for UAVs would be used). Another way to look at the question would be is how far could a Model S go with the front and back trunks as well as the passenger compartment full of batteries?
I wonder if he's thinking of the autonomous trailers in "Logan", where the cargo container was put on an autonomous bed - even then, there's a lot of volume/weight allowed for batteries.
Rather than just some vague comments, a better explanation and some numbers explaining the thought process would have been nice.
Mimetics Inc. Twitter
It could get pretty exciting if you need to change lanes with one of these convoys going by...
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
Mercy sakes, I think we got ourselves a convoy...
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
I'm sure they didn't think of adding a feature that could see a turn signal and let a vehicle in.
Pack it up boys, some Slashdotter just destroyed Tesla's business plan.
sheesh, years and years of research into self driving vehicles.. billions upon billions of dollars spent.. and we're just now reaching the level of the soccer mom?
From TFA: "If trucks at the back of the formation were able to automatically follow a lead vehicle, that could cut the need for drivers. "
In a tight enough formation it would also reduce wind resistance, greatly reducing energy consumption in following vehicles. Additionally, by alternating lead vehicles, total distance between battery charges would be vastly improved. This is how bird flocks can cover great distances.
But the result is that you have reinvented the freight train, with all the disadvantages of expensive energy robbing rubber tires, steep hills, city traffic, and the need to share the road with people like me. Look out!
...omphaloskepsis often...
And Tesla aren't first on this anyway, Volvo have been working on this for a long time.
If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
Not necessarily - bumper-to-bumper offers considerable fuel efficiency savings(only the first deals with significant wind resistance), especially for big blocky cargo vehicles. And autonomous vehicles have the reflexes to do that safely.
--- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.