Missouri Neighbor to Begin Testing Driverless Trucks

I am a fan of technology, but this is the type of development that frankly terrifies me. One of Missouri's neighbors has officially announced they will soon begin a test of autonomous freight. That translates into driverless trucks and, yes, there are reasons to be concerned.

I first saw this shared by CDL Life this week. It's a press release from the Tennessee Department of Transportation about what they'll soon be testing. Tennessee wants to create a "Smart Freight Corridor" on I-40 between Memphis and Blue Oval City. They have chosen Cavnue, LLC in west Tennessee to help them test and develop freight trucks with no drivers.

“Tennessee continues to lead the nation in building an innovative and efficient transportation network,” said Governor Bill Lee. “This pilot strengthens one of our most important freight corridors and supports continued economic development in West Tennessee. By embracing new technology, we’re ensuring our infrastructure keeps pace with the needs of Tennesseans and the industries that drive our economy."

Are driverless trucks safe?

I am not familiar with the company that Tennessee is working with, so I can't speak to their abilities. I'll assume they're more than capable of safely testing autonomous freight for Tennessee. However, there are many who are worried about safety and there's an interesting discussion of this on Reddit.

We Chased Driverless Trucks In Texas. What We Saw Will Scare You.
by
u/AlotOfReading in
SelfDrivingCars

Those who are in favor of driverless freight argue that some human drivers have to drive long hours leading to fatigue which would not be a problem for an automated vehicle. It's a complicated issue for sure, but you should at least be aware that if you travel through west Tennessee as many in Missouri do, you might just be next to a truck that lacks a driver soon.