Self-driving Mercedes robot-truck debuts on German autobahn

The truck also alerts the driver when there are road works wherein the human pilot needs to intervene by taking over the steering wheel. The truck is simply a standard Mercedes-Benz Actros truck, but equipped with the autonomous Highway Pilot system that allows it to safely navigate public roads.

The truck is the first series-production trucking vehicle to drive on using automated navigational technology on an open motorway, and Prime Minister of the state of Baden-Württemberg Winifried Kretschmann, board member of Daimler AG responsible for the Trucks and Buses division, Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard came along for the ride. “Safe testing in real traffic is absolutely decisive for the development of this technology to market maturity”. The company tested the truck on the Autobahn between Denkendorf and Stuttgart Airport on Friday.

“The multi-sensor fusion, i.e. the combination of proven new-generation assistance and safety systems and sensors, enables the truck with the Highway Pilot system to continually observe the entire area in front of the vehicle and to take control itself in certain situations,” Daimler said in a press release. At present, the technology isn’t completely autonomous. Daimler had to go through the proverbial hoops to get permission to test its self-driving truck, and European laws haven’t been updated to support regular autonomous driving in public streets and highways. A button is provided for the driver to confirm or deny the opportunity.

“The Actros meticulously keeps to its lane and maintains the optimum distance to the vehicle in front of it”.

Should the driver fail to react to the audible and visual signals of the Highway Pilot, the truck is automatically brought to a safe stop. A driver must be on hand to take control of the truck when obstacles appear, such as roadwork or inclement weather.

Prior to debut, Actros’ front-mounted radar and a stereo camera, as well as Daimler’s Adaptive Cruise Control system, have already been tested for around 20,000 kilometers on test routes in Germany and the United States. “They also boost traffic safety.”

Daimler also said that the self-driving truck’s design helps it fight pollution, as its optimized gear shifting, acceleration and braking allow it to generate at least five percent less Carbon dioxide emissions.