While we wait for completely autonomous vehicles to be available we see Daimler offer a demonstration of what their new autonomous vehicles may be that can cut down on fuel consumption and take up less space on the road. I am not speaking of a Smart car that drives on its own and I am not speaking of an EV model at all, but rather this conversation is around big rid 18-wheel trucks that bring supplies to our store locations on a daily basis. Our lives depend upon these monsters of the interstate to bring us the items we shop for on a daily basis, but these monsters are some of the greatest consumers of gasoline on the road.

Mercedes performed a test recently on the autobahn of three of these big rigs and their driving when fitted with the autonomous driving technology. Not only did these trucks drive on their own, they used a Wi-Fi system to connect and communicate in order to maintain a clear path and cut down on the drag of the three together. This test showed us what can be achieved and a way trucks can be less intrusive on the roads when they are being controlled by computers.

This test had the three trucks driving at normal autobahn speeds with only a fifty foot gap between each one. Normally this gap should be around 165 feet, and we have all witnessed truckers who ignore this rule, but the fifty feet allowed the trucks to take up less space on the rose and reduce the drag of each one by using a convoy system. Using the communication system allowed these three trucks to maintain this distance and speed while the driver behind the wheel was able to sit back and relax as the three drove down the road.

As this is the beginning of real-world testing for this type of technology, Daimler has announced a commitment to nearly $563 billion to create a fleet of self-driving trucks by 2020. The results of this test allowed the three to cut the fuel consumption and emissions by seven percent and only take up half the road space the three trucks would normally occupy. This certainly speaks to the importance of having fleet drivers on the road in a convoy formation to ensure fuel costs are cut and savings are realized for the companies that own these large trucks.

Not only can having intelligent trucks save money for companies that need to ship items all over the world, but it will cut down on the number of accidents that occur between trucks and other vehicles. Drivers aren’t needed to stay alert during the entire trip, which makes it easier for them to respond when they are needed on stretches of road where the lines are not present, or aren’t clearly marked. While this technology does not replace drivers, it will give some peace of mind to those who have at times wondered if the driver is paying attention to the road.