mercedes-benz autonomous truck of the future scans the road with radar and sensors

mercedes-benz autonomous truck of the future scans the road with radar and sensors
all images courtesy mercedes benz

developed as part of the shaping future transportation initiative by daimler trucks to conserve resources and reduce emissions, the mercedes-benz ‘future truck 2025’ leads the path in efficiency and safety, a revolution for road traffic and infrastructure for professional driving the transportation sector. demonstrated through a case study world premiere, the autonomous semi-truck operates at regular speeds of up to 80 km/h in realistic traffic situations on a section of the a14 autobahn. according to mercedes-benz, ‘trucks will be able to drive autonomously on the motorways and highways of europe in ten years, where drivers will no longer be ‘truckers’, but rather ‘transport managers’ in an attractive mobile workplace.’

the aerodynamically optimized truck can reduce fuel consumption by up to five percent

the technological basis for the self-driving truck with ‘highway pilot’ is the mercedes-benz actros 1845, which is used to demonstrate the future-proof concept of a long-distance transportation vehicle. the 449 horsepower ‘future truck 2025’ is disguised – it is clad in black-and-white adhesive foil to obscure the exterior contours. inside, a protective shroud conceals the cockpit from inquisitive glances.

a radar sensor in the lower area of the front end scans the road ahead at long and short ranges. a stereo camera identifies single-and double-lanes, pedestrians, moving and stationary objects, all within the monitored area and the road surface. the technology recognizes everything that contrasts with the background, precisely measuring clearances and distances.

the system partnered with vehicle to vehicle networking, which continuously transmits information to its surroundings

transmitted info includes vehicle position and model, direction of speed and travel, and acceleration and braking

messages and signals can be sent to sources such as traffic control centers via vehicle to infrastructure communication

 the self-learning technology constantly communicates with its environment, unnoticed by the driver

network ans sensor system details

network communication diagram