North Carolina truckers may be aware that multiple companies are competing to develop autonomous trucks. However, at a meeting with representatives of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, those associated with the trucking industry urged manned control of tractor-trailers. Members of the public were also allowed to take part in the listening session that took place at the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance workshop.
A variety of topics were discussed at the event such as hours of service and driver safety issues related to autonomous technology. Furthermore, issues relating to how trucks would be serviced or how a technician would get credentials to service trucks were talked about. The goal was to gather information from a variety of sources that would help to develop a regulatory framework. Instead of trying to stop progress, regulators are looking to keep up with the needs of the industry as technology evolves.
One member of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association felt that humans need to remain in control of trucks in the event of an emergency. For instance, a human may be better able to make a decision between hitting a wall or swerving into a crosswalk that kids may be using. However, the majority of the discussion focused on the technology’s impact on hours of service and licensing issues.
Those who are hurt in a truck accident may wish to talk with an attorney. If driver negligence caused the crash, injured victims may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. An attorney may use phone records, physical evidence or a police report to establish that negligence may have caused a crash to occur. Compensation may be available to help pay for medical bills or recoup lost wages because of injuries caused in a truck accident.