Mercedes-Benz Helps Launch First Licensed Autonomous Driving Truck in the US

Daimler Trucks has became the world’s first manufacturer to be granted a road license for an autonomous heavy-duty truck. The first journey in the so-called Freightliner ‘Inspiration Truck’, which took place on U.S. highway 15 in Las Vegas, was made by Brian Sandoval, Governor of Nevada, and Daimler boss, Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard.

Back in July last year Daimler Trucks provided the world’s first demonstration of an autonomous truck in action when the Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025 drove along a cordoned-off section of the A14 autobahn near Magdeburg.

According to Daimler, the autonomously driving truck will increase fuel efficiency, improve traffic safety and reduce CO2 emissions. Tests conducted so far by both Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Trucks indicate that autonomous driving will cut fuel consumption by up to five per cent.

This data seems to have been corroborated by a recent study conducted by research firm Frost & Sullivan, which found that an autonomously driving heavy-duty truck can achieve a savings potential of up to seven per cent on average, while fuel consumption in regional transport would be reduced by four per cent. Frost & Sullivan also reached the conclusion that autonomously driving trucks will lower maintenance costs for transport companies, for example, as the result of less wear on the vehicle components due to a more constant flow of traffic.

In real-world terms, the Inspiration Truck represents the next stage on the road to series production of the Mercedes-Benz’s ‘Highway Pilot’ system. The latter uses a complex stereo camera and radar systems with lane-keeping and collision-prevention functions to give the truck an autonomous autopilot mode when cruising on the highway.

Following on from last year, the development engineers of Daimler Trucks transfered the system to the US brand Freightliner and modified it specifically for use on American highways.

The Inspiration Truck is based on the series-produced US Freightliner Cascadia model, but with the addition of the Highway Pilot technology, which can be activated as soon as the truck is on the highway; the driver receives a visual prompt in the instrument cluster to activate the “Highway Pilot” and the vehicle then switches to autonomous mode and adapts to the speed of traffic.

However, the system does not initiate autonomous passing maneuvers. Daimler says these have to be executed by the driver. The same is true for leaving the highway and changing lanes.

The driver can also deactivate the Highway Pilot manually and is able to override the system at any time. If the vehicle is no longer able to process crucial aspects of its environment, for example due to road construction or bad weather, the driver is prompted to retake control.

In terms of design, the exterior of the truck is dominated by the hood design, which overlaps the usual radiator grille. The hood can be pushed forward and tilted for opening. The door skins are shaped to blend with the lines of the front end, while the side panels were redesigned to form a single unit with the hood and the wheel arches. The designers say the wheel arches themselves have also been optimised aerodynamically.

Additional detailing includes a special lighting function whereby the license plate, indicators and the radiator grille shine blue as soon as the vehicle is in autonomous mode, and white and yellow while in standard operation. The headlamps also continue the design idiom of the hood.