On a multi -corridor road in Texas, a huge truck is traveling without a driver behind the wheel, as part of an ambitious experience in the vast state in the south of the United States.
These trucks are subject to several tests to ensure their safety before the roads are taken, according to AFP..
Self -driving trucks are operating using radars, laser scanning devices, cameras, and GPS (GPS) vessels connected to the driving software.
"Every time we lead a mile or a kilometer in real life, we restore the process a thousand times on the computer by changing hundreds of elements».
Wimo adopts a logistics center in Dallas that will accommodate hundreds of self -driving trucks..
But it is not the only one to work in this promising field, as its rival "Embark", an emerging company in the field of self -driving technology, runs the transfers of self -driving trucks between Houston and San Antonio, while "Aurora" that a former employee participated in "Emo, "opened three stations and a path that extends over more than a thousand kilometers during this year in Texas.
None of these companies agreed to offer one of its vehicles to Agence France Presse, in evidence of the great competition in the field of self -driving trucks industry..
"All workers in the transportation sector with self -driving trucks are in Texas, even if they do not acknowledge this," said Sri Saribali, the director of the Self -driving vehicle and sensor center at the University of "A & M" in Texas, Sri Saribali..
The companies did not choose Texas by chance, if this state includes the largest number of truck drivers, in addition to competent engineers, as well as their sunny weather is very suitable for truck sensors, and its neighbor Mexico exports 85 % of its goods to it by righteousness.
The Houston and Dallas cities in the state are two major shipping centers, and the distances spaced in Texas are ideal for transportation for long distances..
More importantly, local laws are lenient with self -driving vehicles.In 2018, Texas approved a law that gave self -driving cars the same legal status for regular cars.
"All you need in Texas is to procedure to insure and follow the traffic laws, as this state does not impose other rules that you have to follow," Saribali says..
In light of the existence of large areas in the United States and the fact that the truck transport sector is an essential part of the economy of this country, companies in the self -driving system see a way to reduce costs and reduce risks, because vehicles that work according to this technology do not get tired and do not require periods of comfort, contrary to what is happening inTransport operations driven by drivers.
While the driver needs three days to drive a truck from Los Angeles to Dallas, a large, self -driving vehicle is completing the same important driving within 24 hours, according to the estimates of the company "Aurora".
Embark considers that the cost of transport through a self -driving truck is twice cheaper than shipping with traditional vehicles, as this cost decreases in one mile from 1.$ 76 to 0.$ 96 if the truck is self -driving.
The CEO and co -founder of the Embark Technology Company, Alex Rodrigis, stresses that resorting to self -driving trucks is important in combating the current shortage in the number of truck drivers who drive long distances in the United States, as a number of them do not want to stay away from his family for weeks every timeThis task is accomplished.
"The containers are currently accumulated in the port of Los Angeles and you do not find someone to transport them," said Rodrigis..
He believes that truck transport will contribute to finding "attractive" job opportunities for local drivers, who will receive these trucks from the transport points and control them to their final destination..
However, a study conducted by the year 2018 sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley Steve Vesile, indicates that resorting to these trucks will threaten 294 thousand jobs.
Julio Moskoso, a 56 -year -old Texas driver, considers that the arrival of self -driving trucks is "not a happy news".
He explains that the large number of jobs currently available in the truck transport sector was not always present, recalling "the lack of many job opportunities" in intermittent periods during the past two years..
He expresses his lack of confidence in self -driving trucks, considering that they are dangerous."What will happen if the sensors are disrupted?" He asks..
But at the same time, he admits that he does not want to drive long distances anymore, and finds that sleeping in the cabin is uncomfortable as well.