We have all heard about Google’s push for self-driving cars; however, earlier this week news came about a new Bay Area start-up working to develop self-driving freight trucks. Yes, you heard right – a giant truck rolling down the highway with tons of cargo and no human driver at the wheel. The group, Otto, was started by former Google employees including Anthony Levandowski, Lior Ron and Don Burnette. Today, it consists of about 40 employees with engineering and technology backgrounds at Google, Tesla, and Apple.
So, this concept sounds a bit unnerving, right? Well, it may put your mind at ease to know that, one, a human driver would still be in the truck, just not always at the wheel. Furthermore, the trucks would be equipped with the latest software, sensors, lasers and cameras to allow them to navigate 220,000 plus miles of highways. Another argument is that self-driving trucks could perhaps be safer, preventing catastrophic results from human-caused incidents, such as falling asleep at the wheel.
If you are still anxious about this idea, know that you probably won’t see these trucks on the road for a couple of decades. While the technology behind autonomous vehicles has come a long way, it is likely still not enough to convince buy-in from government regulators. Still, Otto is moving forward with a call for 1,000 truckers to voluntarily install self-driving “kits” into their trucks to refine the technology. Want to see these trucks in action? Click here.
BPC views the movement of goods and trade as central to business continuity and economic vitality in the San Francisco Bay region. BPC and its members are working on transportation issues like these to help solve environmental issues in the Bay Area while advancing a strong industrial economy. If you and your organization are interested in working with BPC, go to our website or call the office and we would be happy to speak with you.
—”The Bay Planning Coalition is a non-profit organization well known for its advocacy and credibility in the San Francisco Bay Area corporate and environmental community. When we speak about an issue, legislators and regulators listen.”
