Technology companies hope to someday automate commercial vehicles that travel the highways in New Jersey and nationwide. One California company is developing a remote control system that will allow operators to navigate trucks to their delivery destinations. The system transmits data collected with cameras and radar on a truck to an operations center where a person can drive the vehicle.
A test run succeeded in using the autonomous system 85 percent of the time during a 140-mile trip. A person occupied the truck cab during the test, but the company achieved the majority of truck operation through remote control. The robotics company has also performed multiple tests in trucking yards.
The company expects the technology to relieve drivers of the need to be in their vehicles during operation. This could allow the operators to work closer to home in an office instead of spending long hours and days on the road. The technology could improve safety for truckers and reduce the unappealing aspects of the job.
Long hours and delivery deadlines currently place many pressures upon truck drivers. Issues like truck driver fatigue and inadequate training sometimes contribute to truck accidents. When a crash with a semi-truck injures someone, the person might want an attorney to assist with the filing of a personal injury claim. An attorney might identify evidence of negligence or violations of trucking regulations by examining the accident report or truck operation and maintenance logs. A person might benefit from the representation of an attorney during a meeting with an insurance adjuster. The attorney could present documentation of negligence along with records that show the financial damages suffered by the accident victim.
