While it is one thing to create a self-driving car like those being created by Tesla or rumoured to be in the works for Apple, it is something else altogether to upgrade your current car to drive itself. Something on a whole different level is to create a self-driving truck, but a new startup Otto looks to make the next big step, upgrading trucks to self-drive.
The startup is founded by the one of the key people behind self-driving cars from Google, Anthony Levandowski. Starting Otto with a group of like-minded persons, the idea is not to create a self-driving truck but rather to give people the ability to take the hundreds of pounds of metal and take their hands off the wheel.
While automating an entire truck is a little difficult, the plan is to focus on self-driving technology for highways, giving people the ability to take their hands off the wheel for mile long stretches while they enjoy a good book or movie.
https://youtu.be/bK76W1kH4jA
While you can get self-driving trucks like those that are currently strolling down the roads of Europe, no doubt many companies will be interested in the idea of adding on the self-driving to their current fleet, saving them money and the cost of having custom designed trucks created en-masse.
