Peloton Technology is moving autonomous vehicles along faster than most robo-taxis.
At the Automated Vehicles Symposium in Orlando this week, Peloton unveiled its highly autonomous driving system for trucks — that plural “trucks” is key. This isn’t one truck going it alone with just sensors, cameras, and software guiding it across deserted highways. It’s a platoon set-up with a lead and follow truck. The follow truck is truly driverless, and that’s where the innovation comes in.
Peloton calls this “automated following.” The system is similar to its predecessor, PlatoonPro, a Level 1 automation software and hardware system that connects the two trucks and lets the follower driver take her or his foot off the brakes and gas. But since it’s still Level 1, the driver has hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The step shown this week is Level 4 autonomy, with a truck capable of driving on its own, sans driver, as it follows a truck with a driver at the wheel (that’s known as Level 0 or 1 autonomy). Read more…
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