Sharing the Road with Self-Driving Trucks
If the thought of a self-driving truck gives you pause, it’s time to prepare yourself. An upstart company is preparing to send driverless trucks out on our roads this very year, and it may be time for the rest of us to get used to the idea. Exactly how safe this mission is, however, remains to be seen. If someone else’s negligence leaves you injured in a truck accident, reach out to a Tampa truck accident attorney today.
The Basics
According to a publication put out by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the San Diego-based company TuSimple is preparing to unleash fully autonomous semis this year. The rigs in question are kitted out to do it all, including both picking up loads and making deliveries – without a truck driver on deck. While car companies – like Uber and Tesla – have been crowing about their accomplishments in the arena of self-driving cars for quite a while now, a startup truck company beat them to the punch. The impact of self-driving trucks, if they are capable of going mainstream, is predicted to be profound for both the industry and for our economy.
The Partnership
TuSimple has shrewdly partnered with well-known truck manufacturer Navistar and with shipping goliath UPS. TuSimple has been quietly conducting truck runs with its autonomous trucks that travel depot to depot in both Arkansas and Texas, but to date, these test runs have had an experienced truck driver in the cab who is ready to jump to service in the event that his or her driving expertise and intervention should be needed.
Why Trucks?
In the end, the reason driverless trucks may be first out of the gate is likely because they are better suited for autonomous driving than passenger vehicles are. Consider the following:
- Semi-trucks generally travel more fixed routes than we do in our cars, which allows for more predictability.
- Semi-trucks generally stick to major highways and interstates, which allows them to avoid more unpredictable surface roads.
- The sheer height of a semi’s cab allows the truck’s sensors to sit higher off the road and to, therefore, provide a clearer picture of what is happening on the road ahead.
The rest of this story is yet to be written, but it appears that TuSimple is about to have liftoff with driverless trucks.
An Experienced Tampa Truck Accident Attorney Can Help
You very likely don’t need to be told that truck accidents are some of the deadliest accidents on our roads, and it’s difficult to predict what driverless trucks are going to add to the mix. If a truck accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence leaves you injured, the Tampa truck accident attorneys at Tragos, Sartes & Tragos have the experience, legal insight, and focus to help guide your claim toward its most beneficial resolution. To learn more about how we can help you, please do not hesitate to contact us online or call us at 813-223-6405 today.