“The goal of this technology is to take the human error out of the safety equation,” said Chris Kinn, Ohio State Highway patrol captain.
INDIANAPOLIS — Self-driving trucks are going to be tested on Interstate 70 in Indiana, as part of a partnership between the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).
The trucks will be testing “automated platooning technology.” Platooning is when trucks travel together in a close formation, which cuts down on wind resistance and increases fuel efficiency. The automated platooning hopes to let the trucks travel closer together through automation.
“Harnessing truck automation technology is one of many innovative safety efforts underway at INDOT,” INDOT Commissioner Lyndsday Quist said in a statement. “In partnership with Ohio, our goal is to create a safer, lower-stress environment for all drivers.”
This $8.8 million, multi-year project is funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The project aims to “deploy various levels of automation and integrate these technologies into truck fleets’ daily freight-hauling operations,” officials said.
The trucks will be on the road on April 14, driving between Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis. The trucks are carrying a shipment for EASE Logistics.
The platooning technology electronically links the two trucks and allows the driver of the lead truck to control the speed and direction of the second truck, officials said.
“During portions of the I-70 trips, the follower truck will automatically steer, accelerate, and brake, supporting safe, efficient operation and consistent vehicle coordination,” said Natalie Garrett, a spokesperson for INDOT. “Professional drivers will be in the driver’s seat of both trucks throughout the deployment and can turn off the technology system and take over as needed.”
The trucks also have cameras and sensors for object detection that help the vehicle automatically adjust its speed, or stop, if another vehicle or object moves in between the trucks, officials said.
Since the follower truck moves at a closer distance than normal, the trucks will have a purple light on the cab that is lit up when they’re in “platooning mode” to let police know that they are digitally connected.
“This technology offers a complete safety system with redundancies that could make roadways safer. It is necessary that we continue to explore improving roadway safety,” said Chris Kinn, Ohio State Highway patrol captain. “Unlike human drivers, automated vehicles do not drive impaired, text while driving, fall asleep at the wheel, or recklessly speed. The goal of this technology is to take the human error out of the safety equation.”
According to the Indiana Motor Truck Association, more than 51,000 Hoosiers worked driving heavy trucks or tractors in 2018.
