4 ms·

The issue with braking distance and jackknifing could be resolved with smaller trucks. The 18 wheeler we know is optimal because it maximize the cubic volume dr

The issue with braking distance and jackknifing could be resolved with smaller trucks. The 18 wheeler we know is optimal because it maximize the cubic volume driven by one person. If you don't need the human driver, two smaller trucks might be better than one.

kevinchen 3y ago
The cab, sensors, and compute are also expensive, not to mention other variable costs like staff for remote assistance, maintenance, and first/last mile
- eru 3y ago
  Sensors and compute will get rapidly cheaper over time, because they are on the cost curve of electronics. (And they are getting cheaper even if autonomous trucking has only small production numbers, just like batteries will continue to get better, even if nobody builds electric cars: the whole electronics industry is working on those technologies regardless.) The cab can be a lot cheaper, if you don't have to keep a human comfortable and safe inside. Also keep in mind that an autonomous truck can drive 24 hours a day, and doesn't need to take regular breaks throughout the day nor sleep. (They will need maintenance, but probably not more than a manned truck.) You are right that the costs are real. Things like first/last mile (or loading and unloading) would probably need a major reshake of the industry, if the truck doesn't bring its own labour, in the form of a driver, with it.
- onion2k 3y ago
  The cab, sensors, and compute are also expensive Amortized over the life of the truck they really aren't.
  - whiplash451 3y ago
    Not sure what the true lifetime of these sensors is in the real world of trucking.
rdtsc 3y ago
I think that’s a great idea. It will increase the cost of the fleet but if it solves the blocking issues it may be worth it. Might even help with logistics and loading and unloading. Heck, maybe they don’t even need to be articulated. They could look like slightly larger Amazon or UPS delivery vans. No need to worry about jackknifing. If it’s a fleet maybe battery packs can be swappable so when it arrives at a hub to load/unload it can pick up a charged battery pack. The only issue is for cargo that can’t be split up.

kevinchen 3y ago

The cab, sensors, and compute are also expensive, not to mention other variable costs like staff for remote assistance, maintenance, and first/last mile

eru 3y ago
Sensors and compute will get rapidly cheaper over time, because they are on the cost curve of electronics. (And they are getting cheaper even if autonomous trucking has only small production numbers, just like batteries will continue to get better, even if nobody builds electric cars: the whole electronics industry is working on those technologies regardless.) The cab can be a lot cheaper, if you don't have to keep a human comfortable and safe inside. Also keep in mind that an autonomous truck can drive 24 hours a day, and doesn't need to take regular breaks throughout the day nor sleep. (They will need maintenance, but probably not more than a manned truck.) You are right that the costs are real. Things like first/last mile (or loading and unloading) would probably need a major reshake of the industry, if the truck doesn't bring its own labour, in the form of a driver, with it.
onion2k 3y ago
The cab, sensors, and compute are also expensive Amortized over the life of the truck they really aren't.
- whiplash451 3y ago
  Not sure what the true lifetime of these sensors is in the real world of trucking.

rdtsc 3y ago

I think that’s a great idea. It will increase the cost of the fleet but if it solves the blocking issues it may be worth it. Might even help with logistics and loading and unloading. Heck, maybe they don’t even need to be articulated. They could look like slightly larger Amazon or UPS delivery vans. No need to worry about jackknifing. If it’s a fleet maybe battery packs can be swappable so when it arrives at a hub to load/unload it can pick up a charged battery pack. The only issue is for cargo that can’t be split up.