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Jun 06, 2023

Ohio

by: Joe Schroeder Posted: Jul 18, 2023 / 04:50 PM EDT Updated: Jul 20, 2023 / 10:42 AM EDT INDIANAPOLIS — An Ohio-based transportation initiative will soon be bringing partially self-automated trucks

by: Joe Schroeder

Posted: Jul 18, 2023 / 04:50 PM EDT

Updated: Jul 20, 2023 / 10:42 AM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS — An Ohio-based transportation initiative will soon be bringing partially self-automated trucks to one Indianapolis interstate.

A 166-mile stretch of Interstate 70 between Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, dubbed the “I-70 Truck Automation Corridor” by the Ohio Department of Transportation, will soon be home to semi-trucks equipped with three different levels of partial automation.

The project, which is a collaboration between ODOT/DriveOhio, INDOT and the Transportation Research Center, will cost $8.8 million and take 4 years.

According to the Drive Ohio initiative’s website, the goal is to increase affect the revenue of both states.

“The corridor will advance the adoption of truck automation technologies in the logistics industry by integrating these technologies into truck fleets’ daily ‘revenue service’ operations to deliver products across Ohio and Indiana,” the website reads.

On its website, DriveOhio said that despite automation being present a professional driver will be behind the wheel at all times.

The website lists the three levels of automation that will be used as:

A graphic explaining the levels, provided by ODOT and DriveOhio, is below.

The project appears to be in the early stages of its 4-year plan, and a specific launch date is not posted on DriveOhio or ODOT’s websites. However, DriveOhio did outline some safety precautions that will be taken before deployment.

“Before deploying the automation technologies, a roadway audit of I-70 will assess its automation readiness, provide recommendations on changes for infrastructure owners-operators (IOOs), and develop an open-source software tool that assesses the road’s automated vehicle (AV) readiness,” DriveOhio said.

“It can be replicated by IOOs and departments of transportation and/or toll roads around the country.”

After that, DriveOhio said that the testing results will be shared with the U.S. Department of Transportation so federal regulators are able to develop policies and scale automation.

DriveOhio says on its website that officials will also eventually create an AV Readiness Guidebook that is developed based on testing results and findings.

For more information on the project, email [email protected] or click here.

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