The vehicle manufacturer Mercedes-Benz wants to mass-produce its trucks at Level 4. Also in Germany?
Together with the US start-up Torc tinkers Mercedes Benz on the automation of the trucks level 4. The Torc company, which has expanded its tests on the technology, recently approached this goal. The advantages of Truck Automation are multiple: there is a shortage of drivers, costs are reduced through automation and the risk of accidents is reduced.
With level 4, the technology could be used in such a way that it largely drives itself. Any difficulties could then be solved from a control system. This is also researched, for example DLR. Mercedes wants to have reached this level of technological maturity with Torc by the end of the 2020s. The development also takes place in cooperation with the logistics industry.
Then the trucks in the USA could drive from one warehouse to the next. The hub-2-hub concept is then approached with autonomous trucks that stay on the highways. The freight is brought to the distribution centers on the first mile. People then take over there, with Walmart, for example, also automating this middle route.
In Germany, however, there are different hurdles than in the USA, which is why the technology cannot be approved in the USA. Daimler speaks of the lack of enthusiasm in Europe. But there is simply a different approach. As the case Tesla proves that you can simply bring a development onto the market in the USA. But safety concerns are slowly taking over, so the company is to be more heavily regulated. In Europe, this safety regulation must be met beforehand.