HOW LONG?

When will the first driver less lorry hit the road? Not so far away I think if the experts are to be believed. A saving on wages n no hours to worry about. Will it be win win for operators?

It must be an age thing because I cannot see the advantage of driverless vehicles on public roads, on a closed site like a mine doing repetative shuttles perhaps, unless the intention is to make ALL vehicles this way. Perhaps the current ‘dumbing down’ is to pave the way for this transport utopia. Me? still have my motorcycle and car that is definitely still hands on.

My guess is 5 - 7 years before we see platooning. The technology is already there and I believe a couple of years ago a number of trial vehicles travelled across Europe to a technology summit.

There is not only the drivers wages to be considered, there is also an improvement in fuel consumption as the following vehicles can travel much closer and take advantage of the leading truck’s slipstream thereby creating less drag.

Obviously there will need to be infrastructure changes and these vehicles will be only allowed on certain motorways to start with.

But given the standard of some of the clowns out there it can’t come soon enough.

I’ll get me coat

Will there need to be extensive negotiations with the insurance industry before we see driverless goods vehicles on any scale ■■
Tyneside

This was 1st shown on Tomorrow’s World wit Raymond Baxter some 20 odd years ago in reality it won’t take off in this country.
Before this happens we’ll have teleportation

I thought we already had driverless trucks - Well maybe only 70% ATM - but once all the old timers quit then it will be 100% SWA’s

Can’t see platooning being that effective,what happens on a hill if the lead truck gets away from no.2 and someone fills the gap?

Must admit coomsey i am not keen on this idea one bit,or the cars driving themselves !!

As i understand it they use satellites and computers to operate them,and we all know how
often you get computer gliches ? Will end in tears.

I think it’s unstoppable, the technology is there n will be used. My mate flies an helicopter for the police, he says he can put sat nav destination press button n read the paper till it lands.
Most on here say not lorry drivers steersmen a computer can do that easy. Gliches look at aircraft!

eurotrans:
Can’t see platooning being that effective,what happens on a hill if the lead truck gets away from no.2 and someone fills the gap?

No doubt the distance between the trucks will be computer controlled and the “system” will not allow the gap to vary.

When you consider there are trials for automated drones to deliver packages “the last mile” that operate through 3 dimensions then getting one truck to follow another is from a technological perspective childsplay.

Spud I agree bound to happen. Not just lorries I doubt they’ll be any workers in the distribution hubs, Amazon nearly there. Then most motors white anonymous without character nowadays but these autonomous tools won’t have a cab a computer controlled curtainsider. Possibly only moving at night. Even the likes of tarmac motors computer can sort loading /mixing with robots laying easy for it again all at off peak times. Back in the 80s O K loading shovel could be used on auto. Upside no cheap foreigners required

It is all ready happening [being tested around Norway]“FOR CREW LESS SHIPS I KID YOU NOT” .mind you years ago a lot of drivers were on auto pilot it was called PRO-PLUS,… i can see it coming in for trucks any thing to make more money for the big corporations …drivers will be like rocking horse ■■■■,very rare breed.

whisperingsmith:
I thought we already had driverless trucks - Well maybe only 70% ATM - but once all the old timers quit then it will be 100% SWA’s

Thats it all in a nutshell “whisperingsmith” Car & Wagon drivers at this present time do my head in, When I think back to the late 50s when I first started driving wagons, My mentors would have kicked the ■■■■■ out of me If I performed like these so called drivers today, & I think it will only get worse sadley to say,Regards Larry.

coomsey:
I think it’s unstoppable, the technology is there n will be used. My mate flies an helicopter for the police, he says he can put sat nav destination press button n read the paper till it lands.
Most on here say not lorry drivers steersmen a computer can do that easy. Gliches look at aircraft!

Coomsey, i am warming to this !!! Lets see, I get in the truck, pop my new fangled card in, punch in the post code and sit back, get woken up wondering why we have stoped to find we are in a fuel station.
Have to get out and fuel up,( imagin if its raining) then back to sleep, only to be Bldy woken again at the destination and out again to open up, get in the back and use the bldt pump truck, and for what !! £ 14 an hour. Soon we wont be wanted at all. At my age I will never see it, over to you lads, cheers Harvey

The trucks are already undergoing test/trial runs. It is the infrastructure that is years behind, couple of videos here
youtube.com/watch?v=sIlCR4eG8_ with the pros and cons in this one
youtube.com/watch?v=k-AyR91UI2s. a few other videos along the same lines on youtube
Oily

HRS:

coomsey:
I think it’s unstoppable, the technology is there n will be used. My mate flies an helicopter for the police, he says he can put sat nav destination press button n read the paper till it lands.
Most on here say not lorry drivers steersmen a computer can do that easy. Gliches look at aircraft!

Coomsey, i am warming to this !!! Lets see, I get in the truck, pop my new fangled card in, punch in the post code and sit back, get woken up wondering why we have stoped to find we are in a fuel station.
Have to get out and fuel up,( imagin if its raining) then back to sleep, only to be Bldy woken again at the destination and out again to open up, get in the back and use the bldt pump truck, and for what !! £ 14 an hour. Soon we wont be wanted at all. At my age I will never see it, over to you lads, cheers Harvey

:smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

oiltreader:
The trucks are already undergoing test/trial runs. It is the infrastructure that is years behind, couple of videos here
youtube.com/watch?v=sIlCR4eG8_ with the pros and cons in this one
youtube.com/watch?v=k-AyR91UI2s. a few other videos along the same lines on youtube
Oily

Amazing Harvey you might make it yet, I might come out of retirement and become your drivers mate

IMG_20170803_180230.jpg
This may shed some light

Not just trucks

youtube.com/watch?v=T7Os5Okf3OQ

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