Autonomous trucking system handles tire blowouts better than human truck drivers

Autonomous trucking company Kodiak Robotics is developing self-driving trucking technology while also fighting a public relations battle. The company recently wanted to demonstrate how effective its kodiakDriver system is - and simulated a tire blowout:

Guess it shouldn't be a big surprise to hear a tire blowout can be a major safety issue, but Kodiak Robotics explained:

a tire blowout is a big deal, even when the vehicle you're driving has 18 of them. On a big rig truck, the back 16 tires are paired dual tires while all the steering is done by the two front single tires, called the steer tires. Steer tires are responsible for steering, handling, and ensuring a steady ride for humans and cargo alike. If one of the back 16 tires pop, a dual tire is able to compensate and carry some weight until the truck comes to a stop; however if one of the single steer tires pop, it's a whole different story.

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kodiakDriver was designed to identify a tire failure, initiate driving fallback, activate hazard lights, and stop with minimal deviation from center of the lane.

The autonomous system was able to respond to the blowout so well that it didn't even deviate from the traveled lane. It moved less than six inches from the center, with the software accurately countering the force of the truck.

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kodiakDriver was designed and built specifically to address trucking needs. Its design of sensors and lightweight mapping help autonomize long-haul trucking.

Earlier this fall, Kodiak successfully completed another round of autonomous truck testing. The company also is helping IKEA test next-generation trucking solutions.