LISLE, Ill. — Navistar officials say the company is making progress in autonomous driving technology in preparation for the launch of an autonomous commercial truck pilot program with customers.
As a member of the TRATON Group, Navistar is involved in a new partnership with Plus to integrate its Level 4 autonomous SuperDrive technology stack into International vehicles and other branded vehicles within the TRATON Group, according to a news release.
“Navistar recognizes that the high volume and scalability of hub-to-hub operations presents an immediate addressable market of 25 billion miles of long-distance freight on the U.S. interstate system,” the news release states. “The company has strategically selected hub-to-hub operations as the company’s core segment for commercial viability of autonomous implementation.”
International trucks equipped with SuperDrive by Plus are being validated with a safety driver on routes in Texas. Customer pilots are expected within the year, with commercial deployments expanding incrementally along strategic U.S. corridors.
“There is a strong business case for autonomous technology in the hub-to-hub distribution model, specifically in long-haul transportation where there’s a compelling opportunity to increase operational efficiencies,” said Tobias Glitterstam, chief strategy and transformation officer at Navistar. “Global partnership with a company like Plus allows us to leverage the technical strides they have made as we work together to focus on the commercial viability of Level 4 autonomous driving.”
Navistar’s autonomous commercial pilot program is focused on integrated autonomous solutions. Fully developed and supported by Navistar, the autonomous technology solutions will be seamlessly integrated into customer operations, tailored to fit unique customer requirements.
“Our autonomous commercial pilot program is intended to be a safe, reliable option for customers to explore the deployment and integration of autonomous vehicles into their operations,” said Chet Ciesielski, vice president, of on-highway business at Navistar. “As always, we are committed to being a trusted partner as we seek to develop solutions for autonomous driving technology that increase our customers’ operating efficiencies, improve road safety, and alleviate strains in the supply chain.”
The Plus Level 4 autonomous driving system SuperDrive is integrated into International trucks, providing solutions for maintenance, telematics, safety and reliability, Navistar officials say.
“We are excited to partner with Navistar to build the next generation of transportation solutions enabled by our industry-leading autonomy technology,” added Shawn Kerrigan, COO and co-founder of Plus. “By leveraging our experience deploying our highly modular and flexible autonomous driving software across the U.S., we can help accelerate the commercialization of autonomous trucks that can easily be integrated into customer operations.”
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
