From CNBC:
Amazon is using self-driving trucks developed by Embark to haul some cargo on the I-10 interstate highway, CNBC has learned.
The trucks were previously noticed by a Reddit user, who photographed and shared images this week showing tractors emblazoned with the Embark logo and trailers painted with the Amazon Prime logo.
. . . .
Embark integrates its self-driving systems into Peterbilt semis, rather than building its own vehicles completely from scratch. Generally, Embark trucks operate on roads with test drivers on board.
. . . .
Embark CEO Alex Rodrigues said, “Embark moves freight for a number of major companies on the I-10, however we cannot discuss any company specifically as our relationships are confidential.”
Link to the rest at CNBC
On I-10… is there a special “rotten road” pothole setting?
Just another step along the path of progress. If the warehouses they’re going from/to aren’t ‘in’ busy towns/cities then it will be much easier to train the systems (and once on the warehouse property they have their own little controlled environments to work in.)
I thought about trying truck driving, but looking at all the risks, liabilities – and those ambulance chasing lawyers (Have you been hit by a big rig? Call us – because we want a cut of your settlement pie!) – I decided maybe not … which makes those road warriors much braver than I!
Oddly, training self-driving vehicles is not easier in less congested traffic. The hard and dangerous part of training self-driving vehicles is to train them to deal with erratic situations. The more difficult the conditions, the faster they learn. After they are trained on the difficult stuff, it is safer to keep them in less congested conditions, but for training the systems, the more adverse the conditions, the better.
It is the same as people. I started driving on the farm at around 10. When I was a teenager I was perfectly competent on country roads where not much happened. Then I went to the city and learned more about driving in 3 months than I learned in eight years of rural driving.
Oh, yes. I think I may have seen one of those Embark Amazon trucks on I-5 in Washington State.