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Automated Vehicles

New Custom Chassis in the Works for Autonomous Driving Vehicles

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Autonomous driving is dominating headlines in the trucking world, as more and more fleets turn to the innovative technology to boost potential safety numbers and mitigate traditional trucking challenges.

Some of the latest efforts in autonomous trucking come from Daimler Trucks North America, which is working to create a custom Class 8 chassis that will integrate SAE Level 4 driving support. This innovation is a collaboration with Waymo, a major autonomous technology company.

SAE Level 4 tech is a system of automated driving allowing a truck to self-drive without a driver needed in the cab as backup. Typically, automated driving systems allow for a truck to follow strict, specific safety protocol to avoid critical incidents and risks, without any input from a human.

More than 1,500 updates from Waymo Via (Waymo’s autonomous goods delivery unit) will be integrated into the Freightliner Cascadia Model, which will also obtain back up systems for its low-voltage power net, communication network, steering, and braking.

Daimler’s efforts come as a continuation of ideas discussed years ago, according to Bishop Consulting’s principal, Richard Bishop.

“While the specifics of Daimler’s announcement will surprise no one developing automated trucks, the timing shows the continuing momentum of this market,” he said. “Across the board, automated vehicle system developers agree that redundancy of key elements in the host truck platform are essential for safe deployment of automated trucking.”

This innovation also comes after Volvo Autonomous Solutions’ announcement regarding efforts being made around the North America autonomous Volvo VNL model–a collaboration with Aurora Innovation Inc. Aurora Driver autonomous technology was implemented into a Volvo Trucks long haul VNL model prototype.

A truck like this “can significantly contribute to enhancing safety in traffic, thanks to its redundancy of systems and a multitude of sensors,” said head of Daimler’s autonomous technology group, Peter Vaughan Schmidt. “It brings us much closer to our vision of accident-free driving.”

Daimler has also set forth an Autonomous Technology Group as an international organization for automated driving, a group that will work toward an overarching automated driving strategy and set of guidelines. To do so in a timely manner, the group will dive into operations network and infrastructure implementation, as well as the testing, research, development, and manufacturing of all necessary operations and technology needed to progress the AV movement forward.

The Freightliner chassis will include systems such as an additional, cybersecurity-protected communication network for certain devices; two electronic control units in both a primary and secondary system that will allow for peak brake performance in addition to system minimal risk maneuver execution abilities; and two servo motors within the steering system to allow for the backup servo motor to obtain the needed steering angle from the AV software and take action as necessary in the case of a hydraulic or electronic failure.

Additionally, the autonomous truck will require a low-voltage power net fit to meet the demands of ECU and sensor power usage–the power net developed at DTNA allows for regular critical system energy flow. Daimler will work also with Torc Robotics, a subsidiary of the company, in addition to Waymo, in order to allow for commercialization of this tech to be utilized along multiple routes.

Daimler believes that these innovations could not be coming at a more pressing time as the trucking industry continues to face a record-breaking truck driver shortage, worsened by so many drivers deciding to leave the industry due to poor work-life balance and a lack of benefits, comfort, and ease. The hope here is that automated technology will allow for a more intuitive commercial truck driving experience for operators, possibly incentivizing more–and younger–drivers to enter the industry.

The need for trucks in general is also on a steep incline, as the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics recently reported that the consumer demand for goods hauled by commercial trucks rose by 56% over the last 10 years–a number likely to double over the next two or three decades.

FMCSA Praises AV Progress, Although Complete Road Safety is Still Not a Guarantee

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Freight connectivity and safety throughout the United States could be on the precipice of major shifts, according to Meera Joshi, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s nominated leader and current deputy administrator, said during a Senate panel last month.

Self-driving vehicle technology, as well as improved vehicle-to-vehicle communication capabilities, will help to finally boost safety in both the passenger and freight transportation sectors in the most innovative ways yet, Joshi said.

“We are indeed in a time of incredible transition within the industry,” she told the panel. “The transition from mechanical to [artificial intelligence] occurs, but for FMCSA, the mission of safety [being] the number one priority stays the same. So, our challenge is to ensure that our regulations to uphold roadway safety translate into an [artificial intelligence] world.”

FMCSA will focus on stakeholder collaboration in regards to creating a federal framework around the utilization of autonomous vehicle technology, Joshi added.

In regards to trucking, “The principles remain the same,” she said. “And we’re embarking on that work now to stand up a regulatory framework for [autonomous vehicle] trucking so that safety is number one. There is room for innovation so that the crash prevention technology that AI brings can benefit road users and [so that] there are accountability measures [in place], so we understand critical things in an automated world.”

For fleets transporting agricultural materials and livestock, Joshi noted that adjustability is key.

“We must be understanding of the businesses we regulate, and I commit to working with [the senate] and the agriculture and livestock industry to make sure that our rules never undermine safety, but allow them to operate.”

As more and more autonomous vehicle technology has become a major focus of the industry and has come to the forefront of many transportation expert discussions, Levinson and Stefani’s Ken Levinson weighs in, explaining that we may be putting too much reliance on this new technology in hopes that it will be an overarching solution to the industry’s safety concerns.

“I always go back to safety,” Levinson said. “As long as the technology can be properly tested and we make sure safety is the paramount concern, I’m open to technology. I’m open to different autonomous options. But, I want to make sure that we’re not skipping some steps in terms of testing and vetting and making sure that people aren’t harmed.”

In fact, many testing situations have shown that this autonomous driving tech is still nowhere near being completely reliable, and shouldn’t yet be an end-all-be-all answer to driver safety. In fact, it was only a few months ago that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration mandated that automakers must report all crashes involving fully autonomous vehicles and partially automated driver-assist systems.

“If we had a very safe autonomous vehicle and it was tested and met strict safety standards, I’m fine with that, but we have to be very careful,” Levinson explained. “There have been too many incidents where they haven’t been safe.”

In a study conducted last year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that only one-third of all crashes could be potentially avoided if automated systems were operating similarly to human drivers. It was determined that although autonomous vehicles had the potential to spot obstacles and hazards in their path and could avoid them easily, the larger challenge at hand is finding how this technology can bring an end to crashes altogether.

“We’re still going to see some issues, even if autonomous vehicles might react more quickly than humans do,” said vice president of research for IIHS, Jessica Cicchino, at the time of the study. “They’re not going to always be able to react instantaneously.”

Levinson agreed, noting that it’s clear we still have quite a ways to go until this technology can be entirely reliable in keeping our roadways as safe as possible.

“I think we’re a long way away from getting there right now because there are a lot of judgement calls that need to be made in real time that autonomous vehicles, or machines, can’t make,” he said. “Maybe we’ll get to a system that can be closer to being heavily-autonomous, but I don’t think we’re there yet, technologically. I think everybody loves that new shiny object, that technology, that brand-new way to transport people and cargo–but we have to make sure it’s done the right way and in the safest way.”

Automated Braking Tech Changes are Promising, But Industry Experts Can’t Agree on Tractor-Trailer Connection Improvements

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“We need an enhancement,” said ZF Group‘s director of engineering, Dirk Wohltmann. “We also need to have good communication between the truck and the trailer. With that one, I think there is no question, no debate–there needs to be an upgrade.”

Wohltmann’s comments come in regards to the topic of trailer connectivity, a main subject of discussion at the recent American Trucking Associations’ Technology and Maintenance Council Fall Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition. Wohltmann was one of many industry experts debating how best to move forward in connection with the new trucking technology entering the industry, and noted that a physical connection that would take into account these kinds of technologies is the best way to update current connectivity capabilities.

Additionally, while other experts argued that wireless tech-based and diverse solutions are the key, Wohltmann explained that data security and reliability are connectivity aspects that must be prioritized, as adding further tractor-trailer connectors means a truck driver would have more connections to remember during trailer hookup.

“I described what we all don’t want to do and where we don’t want to go,” he added. “We nailed down that we have to have a change. We nailed down that we don’t want to have another connector. We nailed down that it has to be safe. For that…I think we agree. So where do we want to go?”

Backward compatibility is also vital in all tractor and trailer connection solutions, he noted. And although some experts on the other side of the debate agreed that backward compatibility is key, they believe wireless connectivity is especially important and that tractor-trailer connectivity cannot be universally improved with just one unified method.

“The transportation industry is not just a one-of-a-kind equipment company,” said 21st Century Driver president, Duke Drinkard. “One kind is not what we do.”

Almost everything we use in the modern era is wirelessly connected, Drinkard added, noting that wireless technology isn’t going anywhere, especially with 5G now in the mix.

“What technology is being used now that we may be able to use in the future?” he asked. “You’ve got WiFi, you’ve got Bluetooth, and you’ve got near-field communications, [and] mobile communications.”

Overall, Wohltmann explained that connectivity needs to implement easily-adaptable maintenance changes, be user-friendly, and be fast and secure, while also looking to the ever-changing technology throughout the transportation industry. 

Also during ATA’s TMC Meeting, industry members discussed the future of automatic braking–a prominent topic as automated braking and electronic controlled brake systems make waves throughout the transportation world.

“I wish I was 18 years old, because there is more change coming in the next five years than we’ve seen in the last 50 to 100 years,” said Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems vice president of engineering and R&D, Richard Beyer. “It is for the better. It’s not going to be less complex, it’s going to get more complex, and the change is going to come at us more fast and more furious [sic].”

Vehicle infrastructure, in particular, is likely to see the most changes in this regard, especially with Level 4 “high” automation for automated capabilities. Using these kinds of systems means trucks will be able to more easily function in all kinds of weather conditions, Beyer noted.

“When you hear news about automated driving Level 4 players, you’ll see corridor images of the Southwest U.S.,” he said. “That is good as a science experiment, but the reality is that we live in Cleveland, and we don’t have Southwest weather here most of the time.”

Automated brake system improvements will rely on the conversion from disc brakes, and will allow for reduced fading, boosted stopping power, better straight-line stability, easier inspection and replacement accessibility, and overall lower costs, explained John Bennett, Chief Technology Officer of Meritor. Still, he noted that the larger improvements brought about by modern brake tech will not necessarily be apparent right away.

“It’s taking so long for our industry to simply adopt disc brakes when it comes to technology adoption,” Bennett explained. “Even though there are performance advantages, this is such a cost-sensitive industry that unless there is a strong payback, technology adoption takes a long time.”

AV Test Initiative Tracking Tool Goes Public

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An online tracking tool created for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Automated Vehicle Transparency and Engagement for Safe Testing (AV TEST) Initiative has been released.

The initiative was unveiled during a two-day virtual panel discussion, which was the third in a series of online events focusing on AV TEST. The pilot program aims to develop a higher level of publicly-displayed automated vehicle testing and development information. 

The virtual event was kicked off by Secretary Elaine Chao of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and included congressional remarks by Senator John Thune of South Dakota, a demonstration of the tracking tool by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Chief Safety Scientist Joseph Kolly, and discussions by panelists like NHTSA Director of Safety Programs, John Marshall and Uber’s director SDV safety standards, Chris Mullen.

The interactive map tool has been made public and offers information related to an array of AV driving system testing activities throughout the United States. Users can use the tool to see current testing locations and find information on all companies testing vehicles on American roads.

Those on the platform are also able to see new legislation and current policies in relation to each state’s approach to autonomous vehicle testing via voluntarily-shared data released by both government agencies and private groups.

The initiative, launched in June, “brings the department together with states, local governments, and private sector stakeholders,” said Chao at the time of program unveiling. “[The tool] unlocks valuable information for state and local governments overseeing testing. It encourages developers to exercise better, safer practices, and it provides clarity on AV testing for communities all across the country.”

According to James Owens, Deputy Administrator for NHTSA, AV TEST has been open to all stakeholders supporting the safe testing of AV technology. Participants can include manufacturers, owner-operators, highway safety offices, city government agencies, and departments of transportation.

The overall goal for this new platform is to boost transparency in relation to AV technology information and to bring further interaction regarding these innovations to the public, industry experts, and government leaders.

The initiative will also work to educate the public about all aspects of automated technology and its testing, and those working toward AV development and implementation are invited to bring their information to the platform in order to help educate people and avoid any misconceptions about these efforts.

“These systems have the promise to help prevent fatal crashes, save lives, and reduce crash severity,” said Owens. “Public trust will be the key to their adoption.”

Participating states include Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. Companies involved with the initiative are Beep, Cruise, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Local Motors, Navya, Nuro, Toyota, Uber, and Waymo.

Nicole Nason, Federal Highway Administrator, explained that AV tech will bring freight movement improvements, and that the Federal Highway Administration has released safety and operation policy initiatives regarding vehicle automation.

House Committee on Energy and Commerce member, Representative Fred Upton (R-Michigan), supports the new platform and said this technology is incredibly important, as 94% of all traffic accidents occur due to human error, such as incidents involving distracted, fatigued, or impaired driving.

“These are real truck drivers hauling real freight,” said Nason. “This will help us improve efficiency. [It is] now more important than ever to exchange information with our stakeholders.”

The Department of Transportation released AV 4.0, its latest autonomous AV tech guideline update, in January of this year, to work toward unifying automated vehicle technology principles throughout 38 different agencies and executive offices. “Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies,” as it was named, aims to guide state and local government agencies, industry representatives, and tech experts in all aspects of these innovations.

Av 4.0, which expands upon 2018’s AV 3.0, works to boost the overall growth of this particular technology and the collaborative opportunities that come with it.

“We’ve been pleased by the tremendous interest we’ve received,” said Owens. “We’ve been blown away. As more stakeholders participate and as more data is collected, the web tool will become more and more robust.”

At the unveiling, experts explained that AV tech has the potential to massively improve road safety as well as increase mobility options for anyone facing certain challenges with transport, including the disabled and the elderly.

Automated Truck Corridor Funded Thanks to Indiana and Ohio DOT Efforts

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A federal grant of $4.4 million has been given to a team including the departments of transportation from Indiana and Ohio for their efforts in building an automated truck corridor along Interstate 70, which runs between Indianapolis and Columbus.

This award is one of 10 given by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration through its Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment program, and will be part of $45 million in state-matching funds.

This particular project is meant to bring easier routes to truck automation vendors and freight companies to deploy their automated vehicle technology in regular revenue service across the interstate.

“Ohio’s I-70 Truck Automation Corridor project represents a model for other states in promoting technologies that will make freight transport and America’s economy more efficient,” said Nicole Nason, FHWA Administrator.

The ATCMTD grant program will fund beginning technology developments that aim to bring overall improvement to large transportation systems.

“As self-driving technology matures, it is important that everyone has a seat at the table,” said DriveOhio interim executive director, Patrick Smith. DriveOhio is a state government group helping to coordinate this project. “With the coalition of public, private, and research institutions that we have built, we’re confident this project will provide valuable insights to [the U.S. Department of Transportation] and [to the] industry as we develop smart logistics policies, procedures, and technology standards that will be shared across the nation.”

DriveOhio has also been urging Plus.ai, a self-driving truck company, to expand its in-state testing after previously conducting AV testing in Ohio.

“Connected and autonomous driving technology is revolutionizing how we move people and products across our country,” said Joe McGuinness, INDOT Commissioner. “Indiana and Ohio are proud to partner with U.S. DOT to lead in the deployment of technology in a multi-state highway corridor that will guide the future of automated driving and freight movement.”

DriveOhio’s managing director of communications, Luke Stedke, said the corridor project will have three different deployments: truck platooning, SAE Level 2, and SAE Level 4. This tiered approach will take place over a four-year span, with driving automation categorized on a scale between levels 0 and 5. Level 5 will mean the vehicle has reached complete driving automation capability.

“We want to make sure that it’s safe, but we also want to make sure that we’re trying to move the ball forward and mature the technology,” said Stedke.

In addition to DriveOhio, the project team also includes the Transportation Research Center, an independent facility out of Easy Liberty, Ohio that conducts research and progresses vehicle development and testing. TRC will provide professional driver training for host fleets as well as an automation audit of the corridor, according to DriveOhio. 

“During public road testing, a professional driver will be at the wheel always should human intervention be needed,” DriveOhio explained. “The project data gathered will be shared with USDOT to inform the development of policies and procedures to be scaled across the United States.”

According to Stedke, the purpose of the automation audit will be to assess striping and pavement conditions in order to find what areas of I-70 need immediate improvements. 

INDOT also says both Indiana and Ohio are vital for freight operations. Both states are within a day’s drive of 60% of American and Canadian populations. 

Stedke also said this project will help everyone involved to get the word out about automated technology on a mass scale.

“It’s a chance for us as DriveOhio and the Ohio Department of Transportation to start the conversation about what the public should expect when it comes to freight,” said Stedke. “Both for the states of Ohio and Indiana, freight is a big driver of our economic activity. We want to make sure that we’re being clear when we articulate with citizens of Ohio and Indiana what to expect.”

From the grant’s funding, Florida was the largest recipient, receiving $10 million for its Regional Advanced Mobility Elements project on Interstate 4. The project, nicknamed I-4 FRAME, will utilize “next-generation” traffic management and vehicle-to-infrastructure tech, so that drivers can receive real-time traffic, intersection signal timing, and weather-related messages.

“The program selections this year aim to benefit communities across the country by improving safety and efficiency on our roads through the deployment of advanced technologies,” said FHWA’s Nason.

AV Testing Data to be Shared Publicly by DOT Though New Transparency Program

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A new program launched by the U.S. The Department of Transportation aims to improve transparency to the public and inform more people about current automated vehicle technology.

During a webinar event last month, leaders within the DOT introduced the Automated Vehicle Transparency and Engagement for Safe Testing (AV TEST) initiative. This effort will work toward heightening engagement among the public, industry representatives, and government leaders. It will also bring stronger transparency through “an online, public-facing platform for sharing automated driving system on-road testing activities.”

It’s the most accessible platform of its kind for these tests, said Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. “Through this initiative, the department is creating a formal platform for federal, state,  and local governments and industry stakeholders,” she explained.

During a time where automated vehicle technology has been at the forefront of industry innovations for a while now, many Americans have expressed skepticism in terms of this technology’s safety. The NHTSA is planning “online mapping tools” that will show activity data and testing locations, which will hopefully improve overall public awareness and trust in these inventive efforts.

James Owens, Deputy NHTSA Administrator, said that boosting transparency “encourages everybody to up their game to help better ensure that the testing is done in a manner fully consistent with safety.” Owens also explained that AV TEST will be open to all stakeholders who are involved in safe testing of automated trucking systems. These participants include Toyota Motor Corp., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Uber Technologies Inc., Cruise (General Motors Co.’s self-driving subsidiary), and Waymo, as well as the states of California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

These efforts will serve as a huge tool in educating the public about all factors of this automated technology, as well as information about the stakeholders participating in its progress. Currently, because there are so many misconceptions and fears around these kinds of vehicles, Owens says this kind of candid information is most important.

“These systems have the promise to help prevent fatal crashes, save lives, and reduce crash severity,” he said. “Public trust will be the key to their adoption.”

Owens also explained that the goal of NHTSA is to “pull together really critical stakeholders to deepen the lines of communication and cooperation among all of us,” and that this was “an opportunity for the states to start sharing information among themselves.”

Critics of current AV system regulations want NHTSA to mandate federal safety standards for all automated driving technology.

In its investigation of a pedestrian death involved in an Uber AV test vehicle crash, the National Transportation Safety Board said that the NHTSA needed to create self-driving vehicle safety assessments that are mandated and that properly ensure AV vehicles have the necessary safeguards in place.

According to Owens, NHTSA “will not hesitate” to intervene if vehicles are being tested unsafely, although the agency has not yet adopted the recommendations set forth by the NTSB.

AV 4.0, DOT’s latest federal update of AV tech guidelines, was released in January, and is called “Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies.” The update aims to be a set of principles to unify a collective of 38 federal departments, agencies, executive offices, and commissions. It will also provide guidance to local and state government agencies, industry representatives, and technology efforts.

Administration actions have pushed forward AV technology growth, government collaboration efforts, and American AV tech principles that have worked together in a collaborative mindset to structure these new guidelines. AV 4.0 is meant to help the industry work towards a safety-centered, innovative, and consistent approach to the regulation of self-driving technology.

“We’ll make it available for you to view,” said the NHTSA on its website, referring to the new platform for public observation of AV tech efforts. “You’ll be able to see if testing has been reported in your community and learn more about the types of activities happening, including testing of various types of motor vehicles–cars, low-speed shuttles, trucks, and driverless electric delivery vehicles.”

The agency explains that the possibilities around safer roads are growing quickly with these innovations: “The continuing evolution of automotive technology aims to deliver even greater safety benefits and automated driving systems that–one day–can handle the whole task of driving when we don’t want to or can’t do it ourselves. The AV TEST Initiative is another way that NHTSA is convening and facilitating initiatives with stakeholders to support the safe development, testing, and integration of automated vehicle technologies in the United States.”