Self-Driving Truck Completes Cross-Country Trip

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Baltimore truck accident lawyers discuss self-driving truck completes cross-country trip.According to a spokesperson from Land O’Lakes, the end of the year is peak butter-time, likely due to the amount of cooking and baking that people do during the holidays. Shortly before Thanksgiving, Land O’Lakes had a large shipment of butter that needed to be delivered from California to Pennsylvania. This gave Plus.ai, a Silicon Valley startup, the opportunity to test out their self-driving truck in its first cross-country trip, while working with Land O’Lakes to meet their demand.

The truck completed the 2,800-mile trip from Tulare, California to Quakertown, Pennsylvania with no disengagements or human intervention. The cargo, which was 40,000 pounds of butter, was delivered successfully. Despite this success story, it is important that motorists understand some of the dangers associated with self-driving trucks.

The Cross-Country Drive

The co-founder and chief operating officer of Plus.ai said the cross-country trip gave the company the opportunity to demonstrate the overall safety, reliability, and maturity of the system. The truck was able to successfully navigate different terrains and weather conditions while it used cameras, radar, and lidar, with laser-based technology, which helped the vehicle determine distance. The truck traveled on Interstates 15 and 70 right before the busy Thanksgiving holiday. While the truck had to take scheduled brakes, it mostly drove autonomously. There were no instances that caused the truck to suspend its self-driving system.

Industry experts indicate that it will be at least a few years before self-driving trucks are delivering goods across the country on a regular basis. However, according to a managing director of equity research for Wedbush Securities, there will likely be several autonomous freight delivery pilot programs in 2020 and 2021. He believes that the trucking industry will pave the way in adopting autonomous technology on a larger scale.

Dangers of Self-Driving Trucks

Drivers should be extra cautious while driving near an autonomous truck to prevent a potential truck accident. Self-driving technology has profoundly progressed, but there are still major concerns that should make motorists wary. The following examples are some of the risks that are associated with self-driving trucks:

  • Unemployment: Truckers will be more susceptible to job loss, if self-driving trucks begin to take over the industry.
  • Inclement Weather: Weather could impact delivery consistency, since self-driving trucks tend to operate better in clearer weather.
  • Driverless Truck Technology: Autonomous trucks can be more vulnerable to sophisticated hackers that could access the truck’s system.
  • Trucking Accidents: Driverless trucks have no legal precedent regarding a potential liability

Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Represent Victims of Autonomous Truck Accidents

If you or a someone you know was seriously injured in a truck accident, you may be able to collect damages for your injuries. Our Baltimore truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton will give you legal counsel regarding your potential case. Our skilled legal team will help determine who is liable and will secure the maximum financial compensation you deserve. Contact us online or call us at 800-547-4LAW (4529) to schedule a free consultation.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, and Glen Burnie, allowing us to represent truck accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.