SAE Update - July 2024 - 11

The ongoing evolution of
autonomous highway trucks
TECH FOCUS: COMMERCIAL
AND OFF-ROAD VEHICLES
2024, he acknowledged the complexity of fully
autonomous technology, the key reason for its stepby-step
approach. For example, its initial commercial
launch in 2027 will only be in the U.S. south in the sun
belt, specifically in the corridor south of highway I-40
through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. But looking
ahead a few years, the company expects an annual
revenue of $3Bn USD once it expands the application
of its " Virtual Driver " platform to Class 6 and 7 trucks
in 2030.
Safety, regulation, and infrastructure
The hub-to-hub highway-only ODD is certainly a lot
simpler than the one navigated by urban robotaxis.
However, the huge weight of a semi-truck, north of
30,000 pounds, complicates the road dynamics,
especially for smaller and lighter vehicles. Hence, the
need for a regulatory and infrastructure guardrail for
the Class 8 autonomous trucks cannot be overemphasized.
This
could be a crucial year for Class 8 truck
autonomy, as both Aurora and Kodiak plan to
introduce their driverless vehicles by the end of 2024.
While the truck manufacturers, Tier 1 and component
suppliers, semiconductor makers, and logistics
providers are engaged in the ongoing development,
Learn more about software-defined vehicles
Fascinated by the transformation of mobility
technology? Check out Partha Goswami's
recent EDGE™ Research Report, The
Software-Defined Vehicle and Its
Engineering Evolution: Balancing Issues and
Challenges in a New Paradigm of Product
Development. In this report, Goswami
UPDATE
two important stakeholders-
namely, federal regulators and
infrastructure providers-appear
to be less visible in the
conversation.
A patchwork of quickly drafted
state laws in a few regions,
allowing live tests on public
roads, is not a substitute for
comprehensive and uniform
nationwide regulation. NHTSA
has just issued a mandate,
FMVSS 127, for automatic
emergency braking (AEB) for all
light vehicles. It is in the process
of similar rulemaking for heavyduty
transportation. However, no
nation-wide safety framework
for a fully autonomous truck is
currently on the horizon.
In addition to the insufficient
regulatory framework, the
current highway infrastructure
may not be appropriate for cohabitation
of driverless semis
with other road users. A
examines the complex journey ahead for
traditional manufacturers as they transition
to this new software-defined system, a shift
that will impact every facet of the industry,
from organizational culture, tools, and
processes to supply chain management, skill
development, and more. n
July 2024
11

https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-fmvss-127-automatic-emergency-braking-reduce-crashes https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-fmvss-127-automatic-emergency-braking-reduce-crashes https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/epr2024007/ https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/epr2024007/ https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/epr2024007/ https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/epr2024007/ https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/epr2024007/

SAE Update - July 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SAE Update - July 2024