The technology startup Otto and Budweiser have completed the world’s first shipment by a self-driving truck.
Technology startup Otto and Budweiser have completed the world’s first shipment by a self-driving truck, Otto said.
Uber announced in August its acquisition of Otto, which was established to rethink transportation, starting with self-driving trucks.
In partnership with Anheuser-Busch, and with full support from the State of Colorado, Otto transported 51,744 cans of Budweiser along a 120-mile journey from Fort Collins, Colo. through downtown Denver to Colorado Springs.
Otto’s system controlled the acceleration, braking and steering of the truck without any human intervention by using cameras, radar and lidar sensors mounted on the vehicle to “see” the road. The professional driver was monitoring the self-driving system from the sleeper berth in the back.
“With an Otto-equipped vehicle, truck drivers will have the opportunity to rest during long stretches of highway while the truck continues to drive and make money for them,” Otto said. “When you’ll see a truck driving down the road with nobody in the front seat, you’ll know that it’s highly unlikely to get into a collision, drive aggressively, or waste a single drop of fuel.”
The technology works only on the highway, Wired said.
Wired also reported that American Trucking Associations spokesperson Sean McNally said he believes autonomous technology can improve safety and efficiency, but questions the idea of turning a 40-ton rig over to a computer. In addition, the federal government has yet to weigh in on the idea.
Otto completes world’s first shipment by a self-driving truck
