Partially automated semis to travel along I-70 between Ohio, Indiana this year
New technology is now deployed on the stretch of I-70 through the Miami Valley in the form of new partially automated semitrailers, which took to the road this week.
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The two trucks have drivers behind the wheel at all times, but they are electronically linked to one another. The lead truck is operated manually and has cameras, sensors, and GPS systems to communicate with the second truck, according to Breanna Badanes with DriveOhio and ODOT.
With the lead truck controlling the speed and direction of the second truck, the second truck can follow the path of the first, our media partner WBNS-TV in Columbus reported.
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'First one brakes, the second one brakes before even the human mind can perceive it slowing down. The tech has already done the job,' Badanes said.
The trucks will be able to detect animals or cars in the road so that they can change speeds or stop. The trucks travel closer together than typical trucks so it may be difficult for another driver to get between the two, according to WBNS-TV.
The two trucks made a round trip along I-70 to Indianapolis and back, carrying freight for EASE Logistics.
The trucks will continue to make trips so ODOT can study how different weights and weather conditions impact the trucks, according to WBNS.
While ODOT believes that this technology will increase safety on the roads, current truck drivers disagree.
Some truck drivers said they have safety concerns especially with partially automated semis transporting heavy loads.
'I haul steel for a living and I have between 80 and 85,000 pounds behind me. Do you really want a self-driving truck with 85,000 pounds of steel on the back of it with no one controlling it?' truck driver Dwayne Braxton told WBNS-TV.
Dayton truck driver Jhawn-nay Anderson said she trusts human driving capabilities more than today's technology.
'You experience other things on the road with other drivers. Personally, I think some things should stay with humans instead of robots,' Anderson said.
EASE Logistics Founder and CEO Peter Coratola Jr. told WBNS-TV that safety is at the core of what they do, and these trucks have been and will continue to be tested.
'Our work on the I-70 project is a clear example of that commitment—we implemented a Crawl/Walk/Run pre-deployment strategy and required our drivers to complete 260 hours of intensive training to ensure they were fully prepared,' Coratola Jr. said.
The project is partially funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and will cost a total of $8.8 million.
The two trucks will continue to be deployed throughout the next year. ODOT and the Indiana Department of Transportation will work together and submit additional requests to use partially automated trucks in both states, according to WBNS-TV.
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