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The Army Is Preparing To Send Driverless Vehicles Into Combat (vice.com)

The U.S. Army is getting ready to send driverless trucks into combat. "Next fall, [the Army's] 'Leader-Follower' technology will enable convoys of autonomous vehicles to follow behind one driven by a human," reports VICE News. "It's a direct response to the improvised explosive devices that caused nearly half the casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan." From the report: Much of the research and development of these technologies has been done at TARDEC, the Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, in Warren, Michigan. Typically human-driven trucks are outfitted with sensors and cameras through a TARDEC-created applique kit. They're not exactly robots, just regular military trucks that have been made a lot smarter. The technology is expected to be ready for field use in September 2019.

2 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. Probably inspired by PsyOps by gweihir · · Score: 2, Interesting

    When they saw how many people have irrational fear of driverless vehicles.

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  2. Re:Great idea! by swillden · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "Just get the one with the driver in it, Achmed. The rest will stop and wait for us to unload them."

    The lead vehicle will be an armored MRAP which doesn't bother hauling cargo, just lots of protection for the driver and response fire team. Oh, and a turret-mounted heavy machine gun or light autocannon.

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