How would you feel if you knew that big semi-trailer truck in the lane next to you was driving itself? Welcome to the future, as truck maker Freightliner’s new Inspiration Truck recently became the first autonomous big rig licensed to operate on public roadways, specifically in Nevada.
Still in its prototype stage, the Inspiration enables hands-off highway driving under certain circumstances, leveraging an array of sensors and vehicle control technology. However, the system still requires a driver to be present, ready to take the helm in an emergency and to assume control of the vehicle when exiting the highway.
No word yet on when the Freightliner Inspiration Truck would be available to fleet buyers or how much it would cost, but given that only four states currently allow autonomous vehicles on their roads, it may take some time for auto-pilot semi-trailers to become common on the nation’s highways.
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