With the growing adoption of advanced safety systems, which Mary Aufdemberg, director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks, explained is Level 2 autonomous technology, the role of the driver has been called into question. A quick breakdown of the autonomous vehicle Levels, as defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• No-Automation (Level 0): The driver is in complete and sole control of the primary vehicle controls— brake, steering, throttle, and motive power— at all times.
• Function-specific Automation (Level 1): Automation at this level involves one or more specific control functions. Examples include electronic stability control or pre-charged brakes, where the vehicle automatically assists with braking to enable the driver to regain control of the vehicle or stop faster than possible by acting alone.
• Combined Function Automation (Level 2): This level involves automation of at least two primary control functions designed to work in unison to relieve the driver of control of those functions. An example of combined functions enabling a Level 2 system is adaptive cruise control in combination with lane centering.
• Limited Self-Driving Automation (Level 3): Vehicles at this level of automation enable the driver to cede full control of all safety-critical functions under certain traffic or environmental conditions and in those conditions to rely heavily on the vehicle to monitor for changes in those conditions requiring transition back to driver control. The driver is expected to be available for occasional control, but with sufficiently comfortable transition time. The Google car is an example of limited self-driving automation.
• Full Self-Driving Automation (Level 4): The vehicle is designed to perform all safety-critical driving functions and monitor roadway conditions for an entire trip. Such a design anticipates that the driver will provide destination or navigation input, but is not expected to be available for control at any time during the trip. This includes both occupied and unoccupied vehicles.

The Freightliner Inspiration Truck, a concept unveiled earlier this year, operates at Level 3 of autonomous vehicle capabilities, enabling the driver to cede full control of all safety-critical functions under certain traffic or environmental conditions. The autonomous vehicle system is responsible for maintaining legal speed, staying in the selected lane, keeping a safe braking distance from other vehicles and slowing or stopping the vehicle based on traffic and road conditions.

Even then, Freightliner was clear: This is not a driverless truck.

“The Highway Pilot technology in the Inspiration Truck is not meant to replace the driver. The autonomous truck is not a driverless truck,” Aufdemberg said. “This technology was designed first for the long-haul, over-the-road driver in circumstances where the driver picks a lane and sticks to it for miles and miles. This system is not GPS-based. The driver is still critical to the operation of a commercial vehicle, as well as to all of the other duties of being a driver, such as docking and securing loads. However, active safety technology such as Highway Pilot can extend the drivers’ capabilities, because the truck can now react faster and see further.”