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Self-driving Otto truck hauls beer by itself

Lawrence

Lawrence

Founder
Staff member
Big news yesterday....


Otto’s first “live load” was a trailer full of beer for Anheuser-Busch, trucked more than 120 miles on Colorado highwayI-25 from Fort Collins, through Denver and on to Colorado Springs. "Anheuser-Busch is passionate about innovation and exploring ways to improve the safety, sustainability, and efficiency of the industries our business touches," said James Sembrot, senior director of logistics strategy at Anheuser-Busch in a statement. "As we continue to partner with long-haul carriers to ship our beers, we hope to see this technology widely deployed across our highways to improve safety for all road users and work towards a low-emissions future."

Read story here....


OttoBud1b.jpg
 
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danthewolf00

Veteran Expediter
I see this as a very bad idea......you still need someone to pump fuel and to walk into shipping & receiving. Not to mention backing into parking spots at truck stops....
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Dedicated route
Dedicated dock
Doesn't need fuel till in the yard
Only does short runs
It can work
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
If you watch the video/Bud commercial you'll see the autopilot isn't engaged until after the truck is on the Interstate. And the driver is the one that puts the truck into the dock. The technology works only on the highway, where it doesn’t have to deal with variables like jaywalking pedestrians, four-way stops, or kids on bicycles. Eventually they want to get it to when trucks do their thing on the interstate, then stop at designated depots where humans drive the last few miles into town. Drivers essentially become harbor pilots, bringing the ship to port.

 
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OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
It's like them corrals on the Ohio turnpike or Ny thruway where they pull into with the triples and break them up for the local guy to pick up
An Otto truck could go from point A to point B and never leave the interstate system...
 
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OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
BigStickJr said:
Memo to Budweiser

Otto will never buy a six pack after work.
Click to expand...
i think of the jobs I used to do 40 yrs ago..now gone by automation/robots...no more hand palletizing, no more slinging bundles....I am in awe of the new technology....now someone has to fix these robots and service the software/hardware...new jobs that have replaced the hard slugging....Old dinosaurs like some of us will fall by the wayside of time....
nope a robot won't ever buy a can of soup, nor a newspaper or toilet paper...
 
jaxonviking

jaxonviking

Expert Expediter
It's those last few miles in heavy city traffic and oddball freight docks that will take time to overcome. But if all you want is to hitch a trailer to a tractor unit outside of LA and have it haul a load straight through to a warehouse in New Jersey... not so hard. An existing company like Pilot could easily create robo-friendly fueling centers where an automated truck could pull straight in off the freeway, be fueled by a human, and pull straight out again. The truck could call for its own roadside assistance if a breakdown happened. And upgrading the GPS mapping and installing some sensors here and there on the major interstates wouldn't be so tough. Basically, make the busiest interstates more "automation friendly."
 
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ATeam

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
The day is closer when self-driving trucks are a common sight on the road. Now that a true live load has actually been completed, imagine the glee with which dispatchers view this video. I know there was a driver in the sleeper of this truck but that will be short-lived as confidence in the technology grows. Imagine the glee with which big truck company dispatchers and human resources staff view this video. No more employee challenges.

That glee will also be short-lived once these folks realize that with far few drivers needed to move the same amount of freight, far fewer dispatchers and HR people will be needed too.

What a boon to the trucking companies that own the equipment. Where they used to pay a driver for days of labor to move a big rig cross country, they will soon need to pay nothing.
 
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dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
I think its obvious they are going to be on roads soon.

But the issue that concerns anyone driving is will they allow them go roam on their own, roam partially on their own partially with a driver, or have a driver at all times for driving non interstate or in case needed to take over etc.

Itll definately start out as the last of for sure. From a business stand point no driver to minimize paying a driver as much as possible but will it be able to get unanimous bipartisan support to allow no driver is the question. youll have one side lobbying to get rid of drivers the other side arguing safety and what not that a driver is needed. The moment any one of the self driving trucks :censoredsign:s up...will be huge propaganda for the need drivers side. I think it would be for at least 10 or 15 years from when they really start testing these before they any legislation saying no drivers is ok will go through, so maybe take some online classes or something just in case.
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
dc843 said:
I think its obvious they are going to be on roads soon.

But the issue that concerns anyone driving is will they allow them go roam on their own, roam partially on their own partially with a driver, or have a driver at all times for driving non interstate or in case needed to take over etc.

Itll definately start out as the last of for sure. From a business stand point no driver to minimize paying a driver as much as possible but will it be able to get unanimous bipartisan support to allow no driver is the question. youll have one side lobbying to get rid of drivers the other side arguing safety and what not that a driver is needed. The moment any one of the self driving trucks :censoredsign:s up...will be huge propaganda for the need drivers side. I think it would be for at least 10 or 15 years from when they really start testing these before they any legislation saying no drivers is ok will go through, so maybe take some online classes or something just in case.
Click to expand...
Considering they have had remote train Technology for over 20 years because they use it in shunting yards but not on the mainline Yep goes to show it will be a while before it hits the highway with the general public
 
Moot

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
OntarioVanMan said:
Considering they have had remote train Technology for over 20 years because they use it in shunting yards but not on the mainline Yep goes to show it will be a while before it hits the highway with the general public
Click to expand...
Unions may have had something to do with that.
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Moot said:
OntarioVanMan said:
Considering they have had remote train Technology for over 20 years because they use it in shunting yards but not on the mainline Yep goes to show it will be a while before it hits the highway with the general public
Click to expand...
Unions may have had something to do with that.
Click to expand...
Yes... I heard the CSX guys talking they demand for safety, 2 man trains... the company wants 1...
in shunt yards a fellow walks with the train with a box strapped to his chest.. the control box as the locomotive is driverless... the guy on the ground does the connecting of hoses...
OSHA in most states dictates that no one works alone... there must be at least 2 within so much space....
 
ATeam

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
dc843 said:
I think its obvious they are going to be on roads soon.

But the issue that concerns anyone driving is will they allow them go roam on their own, roam partially on their own partially with a driver, or have a driver at all times for driving non interstate or in case needed to take over etc.
Click to expand...

The sea change is now underway and like all sea changes, it will not be a clear transformation from point A to point B. All of the approaches you mention will likely be seen in different places at different times. The fundamental fact is that self-driving vehicles are becoming more numerous and more accepted.

While major shippers and motor carriers now see the day when they can move 10 truckloads of freight across country in half the time with half or less of the labor (or one piece of emergency freight), I see the day when a self-driving car takes me to and from work, adding one hour a day of productivity or relaxation time to my life.
 
SWTexas1

SWTexas1

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
So where is the money going to come from?

What are we to do as technology continues to advance? Each leap forward as lowered the amount of middle class jobs. While yes, high tech jobs increase they don't do so at an equal number. Part time and low paying jobs are on the rise, but those don't contribute to the tax base, which is needed to keep up infrastructure. As that crumbles, more and new taxes shrink companies margins. Calling for the need for more new technology.

As spendable income continues to shrink, fewer good are needed. Shrinking margins for companies fuel the need for more technology.

As technology march forward, the number of those that can afford it continues to shrink.
So once again I ask, where the money going to come from?


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