That Truck You See on Ohio Roads This Week Might Be Driving Itself
Just weeks after making what it called the world's first shipment by a self-driving truck, Otto plans to travel a 35-mile stretch of U.S. Route 33 in Ohio in another test of its autonomous technology.
The event had been scheduled for Nov. 28, but was postponed because of the attacks in Columbus on the campus of The Ohio State University that injured nine people and let to a shelter-in-place order for just shy of two hours before the suspect was killed. The new date has not yet been determined, but Ohio Department of Transportation spokesman Matt Bruning expects an announcement Nov. 29.
Today's event in Dublin has been postponed. I'll share more details as I get them. — Matt Bruning (@mbruning81) November 28, 2016
The truck will travel on the four-lane divided road between Dublin and East Liberty, in regular traffic, with a driver in the truck and ready to take over if necessary, according to Bruning.
According to the Associated Press, Gov. John Kasich will reveal details of Ohio's investment in making that stretch of Route 33 a corridor where new technologies can be tested, aided by a fiber-optic cable network and sensor systems that are scheduled to be implemented in 2017. The Transportation Research Center, an independent testing facility, is based in East Liberty.
By embracing self-driving vehicles OH will be among the 1st to benefit from rewarding industries & jobs that follow. https://t.co/gPyctrYXB2 — John Kasich (@JohnKasich) November 27, 2016
"Certainly, we think it's going to be one of the foremost automotive research corridors in the world," Bruning told AP.
Bruning also said Otto planned to travel this week on part of the Ohio Turnpike, but details of when and where were not released.
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