Peterbilt Model 579 concept truck.

DETROIT— Peterbilt showcased autonomous-assist driving technologies this week at the at the Intelligent Transportation Society 2014 World Congress in Detroit. The systems are installed in a Peterbilt Model 579 concept truck.  

“The autonomous truck of the future is an extension of existing, individual systems already available for today’s commercial vehicles,” says Bill Kahn, Peterbilt’s principal engineer and manager of advanced concepts. 

Heavy-duty trucks make ideal platforms for automated operation because they spend the majority of their time on highways at constant speeds for long periods of time, he added.

Two main technologies were exhibited by the concept truck: radar based adaptive cruise control, which automatically accelerates and decelerates to maintain a safe follow distance; and lane departure warning system, which uses cameras to detect the edges of lanes and alerts the driver if the vehicle drifts too much.

The lane departure system was boosted by giving it the ability to self-correct the vehicle without driver input through an electronically controlled steering system. The adaptive cruise could bring the vehicle to a complete stop if necessary.

The concept truck also used the GPS system to add features such as last mile routing, parking assist and new driver proficiency.