22-04-2025
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.
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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.
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'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.
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