Driverless trucks on SH 130
The SH 130 toll is getting a million dollar upgrade. The work is to help driverless big rigs run safer. The project is creating what’s called a “smart corridor for freight.”
AUSTIN, Texas – The modifications to SH 130 involve changes that most drivers traveling on the tollway may not notice.
Special utility poles will be going up between the main lanes for hi-tech cameras and sensors. The information collected will create a digital model of the highway using technology from Cavnue, a Washington D.C. transportation tech firm.
The idea is to provide real-time data for “Connected and Automated Vehicles” known as CAVs. Specifically, new types of driverless big-rigs, autonomous trucks. This new roadway information system will expand the vision of on-board sensors, according to Cavnue co-founder Tyler Duvall.
“We call ourselves kind of a super sensor. Right. So, you know, and I think you kind of see the three things that we do. We observe the world, we call it world state. We’re seeing all this stuff going on with respect to debris in the roadway, you know, vehicles weaving, stalled vehicles, pavement problems, all the problems that are that happen out there, mattresses in the road. You got to observe it. And the problem right now in most roadways, including 130, is you just have huge coverage gaps where, you know, all these things are happening. No one’s really seeing what’s going on. And these vehicles are arriving on these scenes with way too little time to act. So, you know, a sensor on a normal vehicle can see call 2 to 400m ahead of its own, you know, its own path. And we’re like, well, there’s a lot of danger that happens if we if we knew a half mile, a mile, two miles, or even more, we could do a lot to produce safety. So, we observe, we provide inferences. That’s the software, the observers, the hardware. Those are the poles, the sensors. The infer is the software, the intelligence of the system to provide understanding. So, it’s not just enough to say there’s something in the roadway, we can identify what it is. And frankly, what ultimately can be done either by TxDOT or the vehicle to mitigate the risk associated with that,” said Duvall.
The TxDOT plan for SH 130 will create what’s called a Smart Freight Corridor. It’s to run 21 miles from Georgetown to Mustang Ridge. Preliminary work is underway for Phase 1, which involves a three-mile section.
“We’re going to put these sensor packages that you just talked about in one direction. And we’re going to work that’s called Q3. Q4 is when we’ll start to dig. TxDOT on itself, as our partner are working with us on the contractor selection side, figure out who’s going to actually build this stuff. We’re providing the technical specifications to tech up. And then we’re going to go start testing,” said Duvall.
Cruise suspends driverless cars in Texas
Cruise has officially hit the brakes on its driverless cars on Austin roadways, and across the country, after being in service for less than two years locally. Residents weigh in about the suspension.
The road tech upgrade is coming as five autonomous freight companies have already started making long and short haul deliveries in parts of Texas.
FOX 7 spoke to drivers about sharing the road with the CAVs.
“I think whatever factors they can do to help prevent anything, any serious injuries and stuff like that, and definitely the bad side I see is it taking away jobs from truckers and stuff like that? I hate to see people lose their jobs,” said Eddie Castillo.
Driverless passenger vehicles have had issues. Back in September, cars operated by a company called Cruise got jammed up in a west campus neighborhood. The smart corridor technology could prevent a similar pile up, and it’s expected that smaller advanced vehicles will also be able to tap into the system.
“So, there’s a lot of trucks that are, you know, level two, level three, and those are driver in, but, you know, advanced driver system. So, anybody who’s got a car that’s, you know, call it 2022 or newer will have advanced driving features on the car today. That will work a lot better if the information from the sensors on that vehicle can pick these things up. So, you know, but the industry has got a lot of work to do to get the public comfortable with all these ideas, not just autonomous, but, you know, all these advanced driving systems. The federal government, by the way, just announced that they’re going to push for more, mandates of advanced braking systems, automatic braking systems on vehicles. So, you had this other movement where the regulators in Washington are going to push more tech into cars. So, our view is let’s get the roadways helping out right now. They’re not helping out enough,” said Duvall.
People still have their doubts.
“Yeah. I just, you know, I know the technology for self-driving cars are somewhat there. And you’ve seen, like the videos of the people sleeping on the freeway while their cars driving. But then you hear of all these wrecks, and I just don’t know if we’re there as a society,” said Nick Wells, who works in the insurance industry.
The entire Smart Freight Corridor is expected to be online by Spring 2025.
“I just wonder how much that’s gonna cost,” said Austin driver Tom Barrett.
TxDOT is paying $1.4 million for the SH 130 project. The smart corridor project is considered a test track. The technology may be expanded to other parts of Texas.
