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in June that it is shifting development efforts on the Asian
market and exploring the sale of its U.S. operation. The
company declined to discuss its U.S. operations for this
story.
Even as the technology is refined, a host of regulatory
hurdles remain. Laws for autonomous vehicles vary in different
jurisdictions, and some people are warning that oversight
of the developing technology isn’t adequate.
On July 26, the Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee
of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee
held a hearing on the issue, entitled “Self-Driving Vehicle
Legislative Framework: Enhancing Safety, Improving
Lives and Mobility, and
Beating China.”
The group called on
the U.S. Department
of Transportation to
develop rules and a
safety priority plan for
autonomous vehicles,
issue new vehicle
safety standards, and
develop testing methods.
Included was a
requirement for manufacturers
to develop a
cybersecurity plan to
combat hacking efforts.
Dr. Philip Koopman,
associate professor of
electrical and computer
engineering at Carnegie
Mellon University,
testified, “There is no
independently vetted
data showing automated
driving features
improve safety.” He
also noted, “There is
nothing inherent to this
technology that guarantees
that safety will
be improved.”
Koopman also addressed the discrepancy in state and local
laws.
“Companies can shop for a state that has favorable laws
and operational conditions as they like,” he said.
Most of the prototype testing of autonomous trucks has
indeed occurred in the southern tier of states where climate
conditions are favorable and regulatory oversight, perhaps,
more lenient.
Beyond regulations, there will be opposition from
unions and politicians that are bent on protecting jobs. The
Teamsters, in particular, have pushed for laws that require
a driver in every truck, regardless of automation.
In the meantime, autonomous vehicle developers, in
partnership with carriers, shippers, and truck manufactures,
are hauling freight every day. Kodiak — in partnership
with C.R. England, Werner, Forward Air, CEVA Logistics,
and 10 Roads Express — is operating autonomous
trucks to deliver freight for IKEA, Tyson Foods, the U.S.
Department of Defense, and more. In June, Loadsmith announced
its intent to equip 800 trucks with Kodiak technology
in the first transportation company built for selfdriving
trucks.
Goff credits the Kodiak “SensorPod” with the company’s
success to date. Rather than attaching brackets and bars
to the tractor, Kodiak’s cameras and sensor are built into
units that replace the
mirrors.
“We know from our
work with our partners
that maintenance and
keeping trucks on the
road is one of the most
important and difficult
jobs for fleets,” he explained.
“And we have
really built our hardware
technology to be
easy to build, easy to
maintain. If something
happens on the road,
(if) the sensor stack
needs maintenance,
we can actually send a
technician to YouTube,
and they can change a
SensorPod out in about
10 minutes.”
Goff envisions autonomous
trucks being
used for the long-haul
portion of freight loads,
with local or regional
drivers handling pickup and delivery. Kodiak has developed
a network of transport hubs where trailers are exchanged
with drivers.
“The value of adding this technology to a truck is that
you’re going to be able to increase the utilization of that asset
pretty dramatically,” he said.
Autonomous trucks could be a way to help relieve the
shortage of drivers while improving the safety record of the
trucking industry and helping carriers get more return on
their equipment investment. Like the replacement of wagons
pulled by draft animals by gas-powered vehicles, it will
be a process that takes years (perhaps decades) as the industry
finds new ways to streamline the driver’s job.
TCA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 17