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Self-Driving Robot Trucks are Coming... — Parallax Forums

Self-Driving Robot Trucks are Coming...

ercoerco Posts: 20,256
edited 2014-09-23 18:39 in General Discussion
to a freeway on ramp near you. Watch out!

https://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/mercedes-benz-reveals-future-truck-2025--the-optimus-prime-of-self-driving-semis-204305500.html

I wonder if robots are any better at driving oversized loads...

Comments

  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2014-09-22 19:00
    Wow, you have to respect the way the twisting beam flips the truck rather than buckle.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2014-09-22 19:59
    Somehow I think I would feel a lot better if we first got 2 ton gross weight passenger cars to play nice on freeways before we attempted to automate 18wheelers with 80,000 pound gross weight potentials. Even a 10 ton dump truck can do a lot more damage.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-09-22 20:51
    George: What's the big deal? A robot driving a truck. Easy peezy, what could go wrong? (Jump to 3:34)
  • Mark_TMark_T Posts: 1,981
    edited 2014-09-23 10:22
    Well it bends a lot. Surely the rules for long loads don't allow such slack practices?
    There wasn't even a hint of an attempt to prevent rotation of the rear truck w.r.t. the beam,
    its just rested on a chunk of wood and strapped down! Guaranteed to fail.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2014-09-23 18:39
    It was strapped pretty good at the truck. Able to flip the rig. I guess it was strapped hard at the back end too.

    The main problem was a drivers error, hitting the divider with his back end not centered on the road. That just ripped it of and caused the problem.

    I drove trucks for a living, back then. Even after 20+ years programming I am still pretty good in getting big things into small places as the owner of the trucking company told me back then.

    What I think is more concerning is that the back end was not able to steer for itself by control wire. Wrong equipment for a long load like this. Even back then available.

    So to the question if computer controlled cars/trucks would be safer on the road as human controlled cars/trucks?

    I am undecided somehow since I have two completely opposite points of view. At the same time.

    One one hand I think the computerization of cars/trucks to give more safety (think road assistant, automatic braking, cruise control for variable traffic speed) are good. Them will save lives. I think that small electric cars could be some solution to replace or build up public transportation systems for (over?) populated areas like the big city's. And Truck Trains, keeping together and giving them drivers some rest? Great!

    One the other hand I personally never had a car younger then 15-20 years. Some even older. Gas Guzzlers. I stopped truck driving after they installed fax machines on our trucks. I even would rebuild a Corvair, if I had one...


    Enjoy!

    Mike
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