TuSimple, a developer of autonomous trucking software, achieved a remarkable feat as their self-driving truck traveled nearly 63 km on a public road in China. Demonstrating impressive capabilities, the truck safely navigated through regular traffic without the need for a human occupant or external assistance, according to the company.
For safety, the tests were conducted only through approved public roads in Shanghai. The designated routes, authorized by the Shanghai government, encompassed prominent locations such as the Yangshan Deep-water Port Logistics Park and the Donghai Bridge. According to the company, TuSimple recently received a fully driverless test license from the Pudong New Area in Shanghai, allowing the company to conduct SAE Level 4 fully autonomous Driver Out testing in the area.
“Being the first to conduct a Driver Out run in China is a significant milestone. Following on from our successful Driver Out run in the United States in 2021, this accomplishment marks another pivotal breakthrough for TuSimple and further underscores our leadership in the autonomous driving industry."
Aside from TuSimple which has a focus on autonomous trucking, other companies are making progress in adapting autonomous driving technology to other areas like mining and public transportation. Take Komatsu and Toyota for example, the two companies have joined forces in creating a safer work environment for industrial miners by introducing autonomous load vehicles in an effort to curb on-site accidents caused by human errors.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have 42dot, a startup company owned by Hyundai Motor Group which has conducted successful pilot testing of its autonomous buses, a project aimed at supplementing the number of night buses for the safety and convenience of commuters in Seoul.
Lastly, we’ve got Scania and HAVI Supply Chain, who is aiming to trial a fully autonomous Scania truck to go on a 300-kilometer-three-hour journey across Europe between the cities of Södertälje and Jönköping. With these developments, the world could be close to fully realizing the dream of autonomous trucks and fully automated commercial transportation.
