Navistar is making strides in autonomous driving technology as it gears up for the launch of a commercial truck pilot program with customers. Partnering with Plus, a Level 4 autonomous driving system, Navistar is integrating SuperDrive technology into International trucks and other vehicles within the TRATON Group.
“Navistar recognizes that the high volume and scalability of hub-to-hub operations presents an immediate addressable market of 25 billion miles of long-distance freight on the U.S. interstate system,” the news release stated. “The company has strategically selected hub-to-hub operations as the company’s core segment for commercial viability of autonomous implementation.”
With safety drivers onboard, International trucks equipped with SuperDrive are undergoing validation on routes in Texas. Customer pilots are anticipated to commence within the year, with commercial deployments expanding gradually across strategic U.S. corridors.
“There is a strong business case for autonomous technology in the hub-to-hub distribution model, specifically in long-haul transportation where there’s a compelling opportunity to increase operational efficiencies,” said Tobias Glitterstam, chief strategy and transformation officer at Navistar. “Global partnership with a company like Plus allows us to leverage the technical strides they have made as we work together to focus on the commercial viability of Level 4 autonomous driving.”
Navistar’s autonomous commercial pilot program focuses on offering integrated solutions tailored to meet individual customer needs.
“Our autonomous commercial pilot program is intended to be a safe, reliable option for customers to explore the deployment and integration of autonomous vehicles into their operations,” said Chet Ciesielski, vice president, of on-highway business at Navistar. “As always, we are committed to being a trusted partner as we seek to develop solutions for autonomous driving technology that increase our customers’ operating efficiencies, improve road safety, and alleviate strains in the supply chain.”
Developed and supported by Navistar, these autonomous technology solutions seamlessly integrate into customer operations, encompassing maintenance, telematics, safety, and reliability.
“We are excited to partner with Navistar to build the next generation of transportation solutions enabled by our industry-leading autonomy technology,” said Shawn Kerrigan, COO and co-founder of Plus. “By leveraging our experience deploying our highly modular and flexible autonomous driving software across the U.S., we can help accelerate the commercialization of autonomous trucks that can easily be integrated into customer operations.”
Source: Commercial Carrier Journal
