Pima Community College (PCC) and TuSimple have announced the launch of the first autonomous driving certificate program for truck drivers.
Known as the “Autonomous Vehicle Driver and Operations Specialist” certificate program, the program will provide truck drivers with the knowledge and skills needed to expand their roles in the industry, as it prepares individuals for a variety of jobs including training the autonomous system as test drivers, operating the vehicle in situations where autonomous driving is not suitable and to remotely monitor the system from a command center.
Autonomous Vehicles
Autonomous Vehicles
Hyundai, Kia invest in Aurora to accelerate development of autonomous vehicle technologies
In an effort to accelerate the development of autonomous vehicle technologies, Hyundai Motor Group and Kia Motors Corporation have invested in autonomous technology developer Aurora.
Having formed a strategic partnership in 2018, the companies say that this investment will strengthen that partnership which, thus far, has seen Hyundai, Kia, and Aurora working together on self-driving technologies on NEXO, Hyundai’s flagship fuel cell vehicle.
The companies will use this new investment to expand research to a wide range of models, and to build an optimal platform for Hyundai and Kia’s autonomous vehicles.
From Unmanned Systems Magazine: Automated trucks gain traction
When it comes to self-driving vehicles, cars seem to get most of the publicity but many new and established players are seeking to transform commercial trucking by developing automation technology that helps or removes the driver.
Companies have equipped trucks with various sensors, software, tracking devices and wireless communications gear and are testing their souped-up vehicles on real roads, sometimes with customer freight onboard.
According to proponents of such efforts, autonomous trucking offers many benefits, including increased safety. In the United States, about 4,000 people a year die in truck accidents, most of which are caused by human error.
Driverless trucks could also save money and boost productivity.
Aurora, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles partner to work on self-driving commercial vehicles
Autonomous technology developer Aurora has partnered with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to work on self-driving commercial vehicles.
Aurora says that the partnership will “further expand the scope” of the Aurora Driver, which is an independent platform that Aurora describes as “the hardware, the software, and the data services that guide vehicles powered by it safely through the world.”
This will ultimately allow Aurora to offer a variety of technologies to strategic customers in logistics, transit, and other use cases, the company says.
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Hampton Roads Transit join Automated Bus Consortium
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) have joined the Automated Bus Consortium (ABC), which is a national consortium of transit agencies examining the feasibility of deploying autonomous buses in select areas of the country, including Hampton Roads.
Boxbot unveils new last-mile delivery system featuring self-driving vehicles
A last-mile logistics and automation startup called Boxbot is reimagining the way e-commerce packages and other shipments are delivered to consumers with its new last-mile delivery system featuring
EasyMile launches driverless shuttle capable of being remotely supervised
EasyMile has announced the launch of its new EZ10 electric driverless shuttle, which is the first such vehicle in the world ready to operate without an on-board attendant, according to EasyMile.
With most driverless operations including one or two attendants on board the vehicle, EasyMile has spent the last eight months conducting one of the first deployments in the world that relies purely on a remote supervisor. The shuttle is supervised by a fully trained supervisor from a remote control center, who uses a real-time data stream to monitor the autonomous vehicle, and ensure communication with passengers.
Autonomous vehicle startup Gatik AI emerges from stealth; partners with Walmart
According to TechCrunch, an autonomous vehicle startup called Gatik AI has come out of stealth with $4.5 million in funding.
Operating out of Palo Alto, California and Toronto, Canada, Gatik AI, which has already partnered with Walmart, and is launching a service with Walmart in the coming weeks, wants to use autonomous light-commercial trucks and vans to perform short hauls of goods between businesses.
Honeywell unveils new tech for autonomous and Urban Air Mobility vehicles
Honeywell has unveiled a new compact “fly-by-wire” system for autonomous and Urban Air Mobility vehicles.
According to Honeywell, the flight control computer, which packs the “brains” of an airliner's flight controls into one system, adds stability to the designs of autonomous and Urban Air Mobility vehicles, by driving electric actuators and dynamically adjusting flight surfaces and motors for smoothly following flight paths.
The computer, which also reduces turbulence, allows designers to push the limits of aerodynamics, ultimately eliminating the need for heavy hydraulics, control cables or pushrods.
Local Motors brings global fleet challenge for autonomous shuttle to Atlanta
Local Motors has announced that Atlanta, Georgia will be the next site for its global fleet challenge for the company’s autonomous shuttle, Olli.
The entry window for the challenge opened on Tuesday, June 4, and entries will be accepted through July 31. Once a winner is chosen, engineers from Local Motors will map Olli’s autonomous route.
The state of Georgia has been open to the potential of autonomous vehicle technology. Peachtree Corners, an Atlanta suburb, is currently working on its autonomous vehicle test track, and just a few years ago, Georgia’s former governor signed a bill into law that allows self-driving vehicles to operate on public roads.
