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Dive Brief:
- Kratos Defense & Security Systems is expanding its autonomous truck solution throughout the Midwest. Its platooning technology allows human-operated lead vehicles to be escorted and mimicked by unoccupied follower vehicles.
- The tech company said it will develop another set trucks capable of deploying with a 3PL in the Ohio-Indiana region, following previous truck development with a sugar beet cooperative in North Dakota called the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative.
- “Our strategy is to make internal investments to be first to market with low-cost disruption systems,” said Eric DeMarco, the company's CEO and president. said on May 10 at the Goldman Sachs Industrials and Materials Conference.
Dive Insight:
Platooning technology allows for low-cost entry into the autonomous space, where its reach includes the existing truck market and not just for “customers who can afford to buy new trucks,” according to Kratos.
“Combine that with the growing driver shortage and the potential is multiplied,” said Steve Fendley, president of the Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, in a statement.
Platoon technology surpasses Kratos. Oklahoma-based carrier Stevens Trucking wants to deploy technology with Locomation to five years old.
Several state highway departments have also seen the potential for platooning, where a self-driving vehicle works behind a human-operated vehicle, and have undertaken pilot projects to test the technology.
The Colorado Department of Transportation revealed the autonomous use in 2017 and has tested “crash-absorbing trucks” from 2018. The department uses two automated safety trucks, primarily for lane work. Squads can better protect highway workers because motorists often collide with slower moving vehicles, according to the researchers.
Earlier this year, the state announced it would use $1.9 million federal grant to expand self-driving truck modes work zone protection crews.
