A pair of tractor-trailers with automated truck platooning technology began traveling Interstate 70 between Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana, earlier this month. The vehicles are operated by EASE Logistics, with platooning technology provided by Kratos Defense.
This logistics technology deployment is a collaboration between the Ohio Department of Transportation’s DriveOhio initiative and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to advance the adoption of truck automation technologies in the logistics industry across the Midwest.
Funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, this multi-year $8.8 million project aims to deploy varying levels of automation and integrate these technologies into truck fleets’ daily freight-hauling operations to evaluate the vehicle’s safety and operation performance as well as highway-side factors.
The majority of automated vehicle testing to date has been done in regions with warmer and more predictable weather. This is especially true for autonomous trucks, with Automated Driving Systems (ADS) developers Aurora, Bot Auto, Gatik, Plus, Torc, Volvo Autonomous Systems, and Waabi active in Texas to assess their system’s performance in advance of releasing commercial autonomous trucks into the wild.
Up north, Ohio and Indiana have had a sustained focus on enhancing their transportation systems, including logistics. According to the press release, “it is crucial to assess technology performance in adverse weather conditions to deliver the safety benefits of this technology to residents in the Midwest.”
“Everything we do at ODOT is driven by safety. We’re committed to reducing deaths on our roadways and vehicle automation technologies can be part of the solution,” said ODOT Director Pam Boratyn. “Many vehicles on the road today have some degree of automated driving systems including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and automatic braking. All of these features are designed to improve safety and reduce driver stress.”
“Harnessing truck automation technology is one of many innovative safety efforts underway at INDOT,” said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsday Quist. “In partnership with Ohio, our goal is to create a safer, lower-stress environment for all drivers.”
Increasing Driver Safety
The platooning system being operated by EASE Logistics electronically links the two vehicles and allows the driver of the lead vehicle to control the speed and direction of the second truck, enabling it to precisely follow the path of the leader. During portions of the I-70 trips, the follower truck will automatically steer, accelerate, and brake, supporting safe, efficient operation and consistent vehicle coordination. Professional drivers will be in the driver’s seat of both trucks throughout the deployment and can turn off the technology system and take over if needed.
“At EASE, we’re committed to driving innovation in logistics with safety at the core of everything we do,” said Peter Coratola Jr., Founder & CEO at EASE. “Our work on the I-70 project is a clear example of that commitment—we implemented a Crawl/Walk/Run pre-deployment strategy and required our drivers to complete 260 hours of intensive training to ensure they were fully prepared. We’re focused on creating meaningful change in the industry, guided by a clear vision and a deep responsibility to lead. Through projects like this, we’re not only advancing innovation—we’re helping establish EASE and our region as national leaders in transportation.”
EASE is the only over-the-road fleet in the USA operating a truck platoon on the highway. I asked Mr. Coratola what is attractive to EASE about truck platooning. “Being at the front lines of innovation is central for us, particularly when it comes to safety. This Drive Ohio project is the doorway to for us to evaluate platooning operations,” he said. “Platooning could be available in the next few years to support everyday use cases. Importantly, our focus is not to get drivers out of seats. This is about increasing driver safety.”
“At Kratos, we have adapted advanced automated truck platooning technology —originally developed for the U.S. military—to address critical challenges facing commercial logistics, agriculture, energy, and mining sectors, all vital to national security.” said Maynard Factor, VP of Business Development at Kratos Defense. “This project offers a real-world opportunity to demonstrate how proven automated driving systems can increase safety, strengthen supply chain resilience, and ensure economic vitality. Operating along the I-70 corridor between Ohio and Indiana enables us to showcase performance in complex, all-weather conditions essential to Midwest freight operations and accelerates readiness for broad adoption. This marks a significant step forward in bringing scalable, next-generation automation to the industries that keep the nation moving.”
The trucks are equipped with cameras and sensors for object detection that enable the following vehicle to automatically adjust its speed, or stop, if another vehicle or object moves in between the trucks. Because the follower truck travels at a closer distance than is typical, the trucks will have a purple light on the cab that is illuminated when they’re in platooning mode to alert law enforcement that they are digitally connected.
“This technology offers a complete safety system with redundancies that could make roadways safer. It is necessary that we continue to explore improving roadway safety,” said Ohio State Highway Patrol Captain Chris Kinn. “Unlike human drivers, automated vehicles do not drive impaired, text while driving, fall asleep at the wheel, or recklessly speed. The goal of this technology is to take the human error out of the safety equation.”
A Blast From The Past Evolves For The Future
Truck platooning tech is not new. Almost fifteen years ago, truck platooning was the first baby step of commercial development of autonomous trucking, led by Peloton Technology. Truck manufacturers including Daimler Trucks and Volvo Group were active as well.
The first phase of truck platooning consisted of drivers in each of two (or more) trucks in a string, all following one another closely enough to substantially increase fuel economy (thanks to drafting effects reducing wind drag). A second-generation system focused on close-following with the follower trucks having no driver. In all cases, there was at least one human in the loop.
Development of fully autonomous trucks intended to operate with no driver on-board was initiated about ten years ago by Otto and TuSimple. Aurora, Embark, Waymo, and others jumped into the fray not long after.
Platooning offered reduced fuel costs but also required truckers to adapt to a “find-a-partner” protocol that was foreign to the trucking industry. Individual truck autonomy has been a better fit for the mainstream of long haul trucking, with the key benefit being a major reduction in operational costs when running without a driver.
Investors overwhelmingly preferred individual truck autonomy. Even though the technology was highly advanced, platooning startups could not sustain their operations long enough to bring to platooning to market.
Nevertheless both can co-exist. When freight flows on a particular stretch of highway are such that trucks are naturally traveling together, the benefits of platooning come into play. And, as autonomous trucks proliferate, there’s no reason they can’t operate in platooning mode to reduce fuel usage.
Truck platooning has found new use cases and markets as well. In additional to on-highway platooning, Kratos has developed a platooning use case focused on agricultural freight operations.
Also, according to the Bishop Consulting 2024 Automated Driving Industry Trends Report – Trucks, other side of the Pacific is the hotbed of truck platooning. KargoBot and Pony.ai are running platooning operations in China, and Hexagon is supporting mining operator Mineral Resources in hauling iron ore from an inland Australian mine to a seaport over 100 miles away.
A Year’s Worth Of On-Road Data
The results of this year-long platooning deployment will provide an interesting data set as to system operation, reliability, and value proposition. After the deployment ends in 2026, Mr. Coratola of EASE says they will then ascertain the way forward for their operations.
More To Come
This summer, ODOT and INDOT plan to release a Request for Proposals for additional deployments of automated trucks in Ohio and Indiana, focusing on SAE Level 2 and Level 4 capability. More information about how to get involved is available on the Drive Ohio website.
Disclosure: Richard Bishop is an Advisor to and/or an equity holder in the following companies mentioned in this article: Alphabet (Waymo), Aurora, Gatik, Plus. Additionally, he serves as an Advisor to the Drive Ohio I-70 Autonomous Corridor project.
