TuSimple test driverless self-driving truck in China
TuSimple has taken the latest step in the development of driverless self-driving trucks, removing the driver from the cab while showing off a semi-autonomous truck on public roads in China.
The test of the driverless autonomous truck was approved by the Shanghai government and was conducted on 62 kilometers of designated public roads, including Yangshan Port Logistics Park and Donghai Bridge.
The company also says it exceeded its speeds due to traffic signals, off-ramps, lane changes, emergency lane vehicles, partial lane closures, some fog and crosswinds.
Last week, self-driving transportation company TuSimple successfully completed a semi-autonomous truck on China’s public roads with no human presence in the vehicle and no human intervention.
TuSimple responded in time to TechCrunch’s questions about whether the system would be able to drive autonomously 100% of the time.
“TuSimple is the first company to conduct a self-driving truck test in China, which is an important milestone,” said Cheng Lu, president and CEO of TuSimple, in a press release. Following the successful test of a self-driving truck in the United States in 2021, this achievement is another significant achievement for TuSimple and further emphasizes the company’s leadership in the self-driving industry.
TuSimple Company
The technology developer previously completed a test of a self-driving truck in the United States when it completed a 130-kilometer trip between a distribution center in Phoenix, Ariz., and a rail yard.
It also recently began testing Level 4 autonomous trucks on the Japanese freight corridor connecting Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. This level of automation refers to vehicles that can drive completely without human intervention in certain settings.
A TuSimple truck crashed into a concrete median in Tucson, Ariz., in April 2022, although the company says the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has closed the related investigation without issuing any penalties. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did not initiate an investigation.
Navistar and TuSimple dropped joint development plans in late 2022, but said they could work together again in the future.
Earlier this month, TuSimple began testing its self-driving trucks in Japan, making further investments in Asian markets.
The company’s shares rose 11 percent on Thursday after the announcement, but have since fallen again.
