A truck without a driver’s cab: What sounds like a sketch from the future is currently being tested in real life. The start-up Humble Robotics has introduced the Humble Hauler, an autonomous electric truck that completely dispenses with a driver’s cab and is therefore said to be 20 percent lighter than conventional models. With $24 million in fresh capital and a finished prototype, the company wants to automate container transport between loading docks.
The US start-up Humble Robotics has presented plans for a driverless electric truck. The vehicle, called Humble Hauler, is intended to autonomously transport shipping containers. Since the truck is supposed to be compatible with international containers, the vehicle is correspondingly large.
According to the manufacturer, the Humble Hauler does not require a conventional driver’s cab. Instead of adapting the autonomous driving electronics to existing designs, the company is relying on a different design.
Cameras, lidar, radar: This is how the Humble Hauler electric truck is oriented
The design completely dispenses with the infrastructure that would be intended for human drivers. The hauler should have a correspondingly flat front, behind which the container rests directly. The first version of the electric truck is intended for use between charging docks.
During autonomous operation, the vehicle should orientate itself using cameras, lidar and radar. According to Humble Robotics, human surveillance is guaranteed 24 hours a day. The lack of a driver’s cab and an internal combustion engine has a positive effect on the vehicle’s weight.
Thanks to these savings, the Hauler is said to weigh 20 percent less than a traditional truck. As the ACT News portal writes, the company has already completed a first prototype. This will now be tested in practice in collaboration with logistics and supply chain partners. The manufacturer puts the maximum range of the autonomous vehicle at 200 miles (around 322 kilometers).
$24 million for an autonomous truck without a cab – is it worth it?
According to the information, the top speed of the driverless truck is 55 miles per hour (around 89 km/h). The Hauler platform is also said to be convertible, which is why it is apparently possible to remove the front panel. In this case, a conventional tractor unit can pull the hauler if necessary.
Humble Robotics wants to use this driverless truck to transport containers in the future. The start-up was only able to raise $24 million in financing for the project. However, an exact date for the start of sales is not mentioned in the report. It is currently not known when the Hauler will come onto the market.
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