Partially automated trucks being tested on Ohio highway
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Drivers between Columbus and Indianapolis might notice a pair of tractor-trailers emblazoned with the motto 'The future of transportation is now' moving along Interstate 70.
Beyond the visionary statement and other Ohio Department of Transportation markings on their outsides, the semi-trucks might not attract much attention. However, inside the pair of vehicles is equipment that might surprise other motorists. According to ODOT, the EASE Logistics shipping trucks are in wireless communication, using an automated driving system where one truck controls the other.
York Steak House in Columbus hailed as having the nation's best steaks
In a news release, the Buckeye State agency explained that the technology, called 'automated truck platooning,' is being used through a collaboration between ODOT's DriveOhio initiative and the Indiana Department of Transportation. The state offices want to gather information on using the equipment in the ever-changing elements of the Midwest's climate.
'Operating along the I-70 corridor between Ohio and Indiana enables us to showcase performance in complex, all-weather conditions essential to Midwest freight operations and accelerates readiness for broad adoption,' said Maynard Factor, VP of Business Development at Kratos Defense, maker of the system.
The two trucks are electronically linked, allowing the driver of the front vehicle to control the rear vehicle 'precisely.' Using the tools, the 'lead' truck can regulate the steering, acceleration and braking of the 'follower' truck. ODOT also noted that professional operators are in the driver's seat of both vehicles. Additionally, the automation can be turned off at any point, with the live person ready to take the wheel.
'Everything we do at ODOT is driven by safety,' said ODOT Director Pam Boratyn. 'We're committed to reducing deaths on our roadways, and vehicle automation technologies can be part of the solution. Many vehicles on the road today have some degree of automated driving systems, including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and automatic braking. All of these features are designed to improve safety and reduce driver stress.'
The $8.8 million project also accounts for the possibility of another automobile moving between the trucks. Cameras and sensors can detect objects, enabling the following vehicle to adjust its speed or stop. A special purple light is used as an indicator for law enforcement, letting officers know the pair is connected when it is lit.
COTA board approves study regarding making bus system free
'This technology offers a complete safety system with redundancies that could make roadways safer,' said Ohio State Highway Patrol Captain Chris Kinn. 'It is necessary that we continue to explore improving roadway safety. Unlike human drivers, automated vehicles do not drive impaired, text while driving, fall asleep at the wheel, or recklessly speed.'
A grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation funds the project.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Spectrum: Lt. Gov. Tressel; Ohio budget; defense contractor setting up in central Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – This week on The Spectrum: Former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel is settling in as Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's right-hand man, but will he try to run to replace him? Colleen Marshall sits with the lieutenant governor for an exclusive interview as he weighs a potential run for the governor's mansion. Both property tax relief and a flat state income tax could become a reality if the latest draft of the state budget passes. 'I think it's a very exciting and very bold budget,' State Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) said. Hear how the budget could affect funding for the state's school districts. Anduril, a cutting-edge defense contractor, is setting up shop in America's heartland. 'Central Ohio is going to be vital to the future of what we do,' Anduril Senior Vice President of Strategy Zachary Mears said. Hear how the business is already making an impact on the war in Ukraine as it prepares to employ thousands of central Ohioans. Democratic strategist Spencer Dirrig and Republican strategist Terry Casey join the roundtable to discuss Tressel's political future in red-state Ohio and the disagreements between the Ohio House and Senate over the budget. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Ohio winner claims $112 million Mega Millions jackpot in trust
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WCMH) — The lucky Ohioan who was the first Mega Millions jackpot winner under the game's new rules has claimed the multi-million dollar prize. The Ohio Lottery announced in a news release that the money won in the April 18, 2025, drawing has been placed in The Ironwood Family Trust, for which James S. Ausse, Esq., is named trustee. The winner had 180 days, or until Oct. 15, 2025, to claim the prize. The ticket, worth $112 million, was purchased at Giant Eagle, 4401 Mayfield Road in South Euclid. According to the lottery, the winner chose their own numbers, which were — 5-13-15-17-28, with the Mega Ball 1. Instead of the 30-year annuity, the winner selected the cash option of $49.3 million. A total of $35.5 million will be placed in the trust after mandatory state and federal taxes of 28%. The overhauled Mega Millions game began on April 5, with the promise of bigger jackpots, better odds and a built-in multiplier that does not cost the player extra money and improves every non-jackpot win by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X. The ticket price was raised from $2 to $5 per wager, however, the game was designed to have no break-even prizes, with all winning tickets totaling $10 or more. Additionally, its jackpots start at $50 million. Since joining Mega Millions, Ohio has had 21 Mega Millions jackpot winners and 65 second-tier winners of $1 million or more. The nationwide game is sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. Eastern on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta. The next Mega Millions drawing is Friday, June 6, at 11 p.m. The jackpot amount is currently at $223 million. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Statue honoring Lancaster's first Black business owner completed
LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) — There is a new statue in the city of Lancaster honoring Scipio Smith, the man who became the city's first Black business owner in the 1800s. The statue is along Main Street, not far from where Smith's tinsmith shop was located. The statue shows Smith holding an open shackle with the day he was emancipated inscribed on it. He was enslaved in Virginia before being brought to Ohio. 'That was his way of showing you can't stop me, even this chain didn't hold me down,' said Michael Johnson, a local historian and the marketing director for the Fairfield County Heritage Association. 'You can't get much more of an underdog than being born a slave and losing your leg as a child.' Johnson found a brief entry about Smith in a history book. He said he'd never seen an entry quite like it, so he dug deeper. Eventually he learned about Smith's history as a slave. Four years after Smith was freed, he founded the AME church in town, which is now Allen Chapel. Italian eatery from Columbus couple behind Chapman's, Ginger Rabbit to open Friday 'To know he was right here, to know he was responsible for this church,' said Evan Saunders, Pastor of Allen Chapel. 'You don't even know the lives he's touched but yet here 2025 we realize he's touching a whole community with that so his legacy still continues to live on.' About two years after opening the church, Smith opened a tinsmith shop in Lancaster. That made him the city's first Black business owner, according to Johnson. 'He was pretty quick to act once he got his freedom. He knew what he wanted,' Johnson said. 'Opened door for other Black business owners.' Johnson wrote about Smith's story. But he wanted to do more to honor the local legend. About two years ago he started fundraising for a statue. It's now completed, full of symbols and Smith's story. 'For me I think statues are celebrations, they are people we should be looking up to, the ideals they represent, and Scipio, you can't beat his work ethic, his faith, his tenacity, the ability to overcome unbelievable obstacles. You can't beat that story,' Johnson said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
