TuSimple claims that one of its semi-trailers traveled more than 100 kilometers without human intervention in Arizona.
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After cars, companies want to make trucks autonomous. That of the Californian company TuSimple has just completed a first journey without anyone on board and without human intervention on public roads in Arizona. He was said to have traveled 80 miles (128 km) from a rail yard in Tucson to a distribution center in Phoenix in the middle of the night. TuSimple assures that its Autonomous Driving System (ADS) has managed to manage traffic lights, access and exit ramps, as well as freeway lane changes while “Interacting naturally with other motorists”.
To operate, ADS relies on a Lidar (remote sensing and telemetry system), radar and cameras. This provides it with 360 degree visibility around the truck and allows it to be driven day or night. This test was conducted in close collaboration with the Arizona Department of Transportation and law enforcement to ensure public safety.
A supervised test
During the experiment, the semi-trailer was accompanied by two vehicles. Located at the front, the first looked for unexpected obstacles at a distance of about 8 km and the second, which followed the truck, was ready to intervene if necessary to put the heavyweight “In a state of minimal risk”. Unmarked police cars also followed the semi-trailer for safety. “By taking this momentous technical step, we have demonstrated the advanced capabilities of TuSimple’s autonomous driving system and the commercial maturity of our testing process, prioritizing safety and collaboration at every step of the process.”, said Cheng Lu, the CEO of the company.
The company claims to have been working on an autonomous Level 4 truck for a year and a half. This level means that the heavy truck is able to drive on its own without human intervention. With such range, the driver may fall asleep or leave their seat, as their attention is not required to ensure safety. On the other hand, driving is autonomous in limited areas or under special circumstances. For example, the driver must regain control if the weather conditions are very bad.
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