AS REPORTED BY EUGENE MULERO FOR TRANSPORT TOPICS NEWS
Advances in connected, autonomous and truck platooning technologies are expected to dominate the discussions during a Dec. 7 House transportation policymakers roundtable scheduled with executives from the trucking industry.
The House Highways and Transit Subcommittee will examine commercial vehicles’ autonomous capabilities, such as steering and braking through global positioning and sensor systems.
Policymakers also will explore safety benefits stemming from technologies that allow vehicles to communicate with each other, as well as infrastructure. Truck platooning systems, as an example, consist of a lead vehicle controlled by a driver being followed by vehicles capable of operating sans drivers.
“The drivers can take over the speed and braking at any time, and the driver is expected to continually monitor the driving situation to be ready to assume full control of the truck as needed,” the members of the subcommittee explained in a memo detailing the roundtable’s purpose.
Platooning proponents argue fuel savings are achieved due to reductions in wind drag.
Witnesses at the roundtable will include Greer Woodruff, senior vice president of safety, security and driver personnel at J.B. Hunt; Steve Boyd, founder and vice president of external affairs at Peloton Technology; Susan Alt, senior vice president of public affairs at Volvo Group North America; Jane Terry, senior director of government affairs at the National Safety Council; and Larry Willis, president, Transportation Trades Department at AFL-CIO.