Amazon to Test Delivery Robots on Seattle-Area Sidewalks
Amazon.com will use robots to deliver packages in the suburbs north of Seattle, its latest experiment to automate the last mile of delivery that is a labor-intensive and costly component of buying products online.
January 23, 2019Daily Briefings from Transport Topics
Transport Topics has partnered with Spoken Layer to make one-minute daily briefings available on all your smart devices. Simply say “Alexa, play Transport Topics” or “Okay Google, talk to Transport Topics” to get the day’s biggest trucking headlines.
Waymo Announces Plan for Autonomous-Vehicle Factory in Michigan
LANSING, Mich. — Google self-driving car spinoff Waymo said Jan. 22 that it will bring a factory to Michigan, creating up to 400 jobs at what it describes as the world’s first plant “100%” dedicated to the mass production of autonomous vehicles.
January 23, 2019Developers Seek to Advance Truck Platooning Through Higher Automation, Global Demonstrations
WASHINGTON — Truck platooning has not yet advanced beyond the testing and development stage, but proponents and developers of the technology continue to explore ways to eventually deploy it in real-world freight operations.
January 23, 2019Autonomous Technology Promises Safety Benefits, TRB Speakers Say
WASHINGTON — While the debut of automated vehicles in the marketplace remains years away, the technology already available has the potential of improving safety for commercial drivers, officials and experts at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board here said.
January 23, 2019Capitol Agenda for the Week of Jan. 21: Autonomous Anxiety
Why don't consumers trust autonomous vehicles? Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao says it's partly because manufacturers need to do a better job explaining the vehicles' capabilities. Here's the week ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill.
January 22, 2019Germany’s Mercedes-Benz Plans Assembly Plant in Egypt
BERLIN — German automaker Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz Cars unit says it is developing plans to open an assembly plant in Egypt.
January 18, 2019Presence of Autonomous Vehicles Felt in US
WASHINGTON — Technology is changing the transportation landscape as freight carriers move toward self-driving vehicles and public officials look for new ways to develop infrastructure and prepare for what could be a major shift in traffic patterns and driving behavior.
January 17, 2019Parcel Lockers, EVs Combine for Energy Savings in Final Mile, Researcher Says
WASHINGTON — Electric trucks and vans show great promise for energy savings in making suburban deliveries for companies such as UPS Inc., according to an Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientist who presented her findings to a forum at the Transportation Research Board’s annual meeting.
January 16, 2019TuSimple Proceeds With Plans to Build World’s Largest Self-Driving Truck Fleet
LAS VEGAS — Autonomous truck developer TuSimple said it will expand its U.S. test fleet to 40 vehicles by June, which the company claims will make it the world’s largest self-driving truck business.
January 15, 2019Robotic Vehicles, Loading Zone Updates Seen as Tools for Final-Mile Delivery
WASHINGTON — More freight is moving and e-commerce is booming, but there is a finite amount of urban space for road use and parking for delivery vehicles. It’s a problem known as the final mile, and it’s especially profound in cities.
January 15, 2019