Trucking News: Self-driving trucks reach milestone with testing in snowy conditions

[Mike]

Self-driving trucks hit another milestone after Embark Trucks completed testing in snowy conditions. However, testing was not without its flaws.

Embark Trucks claims it has successfully completed on-road testing in Montana during snowy conditions. The San Francisco-based autonomous truck company made the announcement four months after stating it would test self-driving trucks in such conditions.

According to Embark Trucks, 90% of the test runs demonstrated its Vision Map Fusion technology either operated successfully or paused and resumed driving “within acceptable shipper delivery windows.”

Self-driving trucks reach milestone with testing in snowy conditions

Embark Trucks successfully completed test runs in snowy conditions in Montana, but are self-driving trucks anywhere close to widespread adoption?

landline.media

 

[krelithous]

id'e never trust my life to a computer on wheels

 

[krelithous]

so how much longer before we start replacing the goverment with robots

 

[389 Hood]

so how much longer before we start replacing the goverment with robots

That can't happen soon enough.

I was following a truck last night and it was constantly lighting up the brake lights. Out of curiosity, I hollered at him on the radio when I went by. It shocked the hell out of me when he answered. I asked why he was on the brakes so much. His reply is that everything ghosted the sensors. Signs, curves, guardrails, vehicles on the shoulder, it didn't matter. He said it did it in cruise and manual mode and was frustrating as hell. He was heading back to his terminal, somewhere in MA., to give it back to them. He said it was the worst POS he ever drove. The worst thing was when he went to pass an object or another truck would pass him, it would slow down. How can something like that be safe. What if he hit an ice patch when it was braking? That could cause a catastrophe.

 

[Phantom Trucker]

That can't happen soon enough.

I was following a truck last night and it was constantly lighting up the brake lights. Out of curiosity, I hollered at him on the radio when I went by. It shocked the hell out of me when he answered. I asked why he was on the brakes so much. His reply is that everything ghosted the sensors. Signs, curves, guardrails, vehicles on the shoulder, it didn't matter. He said it did it in cruise and manual mode and was frustrating as hell. He was heading back to his terminal, somewhere in MA., to give it back to them. He said it was the worst POS he ever drove. The worst thing was when he went to pass an object or another truck would pass him, it would slow down. How can something like that be safe. What if he hit an ice patch when it was braking? That could cause a catastrophe.

Another ridiculous thing is some of these newer trucks have the brake lights apply when the engine brake is engaged.

I was in a truck a few years ago that had all the bells and whistles (lane departure, crash mitigation, etc). It was the most frustrating thing to drive because those systems weren’t functioning properly. Travelling past exits it’d pick up the off ramp speed sign and confuse it with the highways posted speed then apply the brakes and send a notice to safety.

Anytime you needed to edge out of your lane a little (due to some obstruction) you had to signal or turn your four way flashers on otherwise it’d fear the worst and jam on the brakes.

It turned out to be quite exhausting for the safety department. Each day they had to review all of these events and many of them turned out to be bogus.

 

[Rigjockey]

According to Embark Trucks, 90% of the test runs demonstrated its Vision Map Fusion technology either operated successfully or paused and resumed driving “within acceptable shipper delivery windows.

Beg Pardon? it paused and resumed driving “within acceptable shipper delivery windows."
How big was that window? Was it a four hour trip and had 10 hours to git r done?
I would consider any kind of "pause" to be a failure.
Human drivers are taking in information, scanning and making decisions every few seconds, there is no "pause".

 

[Rigjockey]

This post is mostly about the "technology". My ELD in the morning, charging is slow due to cold temps. OK fine I get that.
Later in the day it is telling me it is shutting down because it's too hot.
Whaaaah it's too hot, Whaaah it's too cold. C'mon you POS it's an imperfect world. Deal with it!

 

[Phantom Trucker]

This post is mostly about the "technology". My ELD in the morning, charging is slow due to cold temps. OK fine I get that.
Later in the day it is telling me it is shutting down because it's too hot.
Whaaaah it's too hot, Whaaah it's too cold. C'mon you POS it's an imperfect world. Deal with it!

PeopleNet?

 

[389 Hood]

I have one of those that utilizes brake lights with the Jakes. Oh, excuse me, C-Brake. It's a Cummins. I had one clown ask me how often I had brakes put on the truck because I rode them so long. He shut up when I told him the truck had 600k on it with half of the original brakes left. I use engine braking 90% of the deceleration time. I have the cut off set at 1000 RPM's or 10 MPH.

I also have the OmniTracs ELD and out of nowhere, driving down the road this bright ass screen comes on saying 'Shutting Down'. I keep the backlight off on the ELD and sound system. Also the dash lights as low as they will go. I'm glad I keep big towels for cleaning. I just toss one over the ELD to block it out.

 

[Rigjockey]

PeopleNet?

Motive.