Tesla developing self-driving tech for trucks

© Michaeljayberlin

Reuters has reported that Elon Musk’s electric car manufacturing firm Tesla is looking to develop a semi-autonomous electric truck that drives in platoons. In many ways, building an autonomous truck is simpler than a passenger car, as trucks tend to operate at relatively consistent speeds and spend a large amount of time on motorways. But there are obstacles: “Diesel trucks used for cross-country hauls by United Parcel Service can travel up to 500 miles (800km) on a single tank, according to UPS’s director of maintenance and engineering, international operations, Scott Phillippi. By comparison, the company’s electric local package delivery trucks travel up to 80 miles on a full charge.”