Watch an Autonomous Truck Make a Beer Run All on its Own

Self-driving technology will revolutionize personal transport, but it could have an even bigger impact on the trucking industry. We’re now one step closer to finding out what a future with autonomous trucks looks like, as Otto has completed the first autonomous delivery. The cargo? Beer, of course.

The achievement comes four months after Otto was acquired by Uber. The self-driving truck company teamed up with Anheuser-Busch, the makers of Budweiser, and transported beer from Fort Collins, Colo., to Colorado Springs. The truck drove itself for more than 120 miles on I-25. A driver was on board to get the truck to the highway and load and unload the trailer, but once the self-driving mode was engaged he moved to the sleeper cab for the remainder of the journey.

According to Bloomberg, Otto worked with Colorado regulators to get permission to carry out the stunt and spent two weeks scouting the route, which took the truck through Denver, the state’s biggest city. The delivery took place in the early morning when traffic was clear, and in clear weather conditions. A police car also followed the semi for the entire trip.

Anheuser-Busch says it could save $50 million a year in the U.S. alone with autonomous trucks, even if the drivers are retained. The company would save on fuel costs and be able to make more frequent deliveries. In addition to lowering costs, autonomous trucks could also help reduce traffic deaths. Currently, large trucks account for 9.5 percent of all traffic fatalities.

Though “drivers” would still be necessary in the early years of self-driving trucks, full automation could eventually see many trucking jobs cut. An earlier report suggested autonomous trucks could threaten 1.6 million truckers in the U.S., as well as truck stops, restaurants, and motels that rely on truck drivers’ business.

Of course, Uber and Otto aren’t the only companies working on autonomous trucks. A Mercedes-Benz Actros recently drove itself from Stuttgart, Germany, to Rotterdam, Netherlands. Volvo has also been working on self-driving trucks, and Tesla is in the early stages of development on an electric semi, which will likely incorporate the company’s Autopilot technology.

Otto says the software still has a long way to go, and for now is limited to use on the highway. However, trucks spend more than 95 percent of their time driving on the highway.

Check out the video below to see Otto autonomously deliver a trailer full of Budweiser to thirsty Coloradans.

Source: Otto via YouTube, Bloomberg

 

 

 

 

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