Autonomous driving software solutions provider Plus has announced a strategic partnership to integrate H.E.L.P. Alerts from Emergency Safety Solutions (ESS) with Plus’s Level 4 autonomous trucking solution, SuperDrive.
Plus notes that this collaboration is a part of their mission to ensure its self-driving technology is ready for safe and efficient driverless trucking operations. Working with global truck-maker Traton, SuperDrive is set to be launched in 2027 on Traton brands International, MAN, and Scania.
H.E.L.P. Alerts notify oncoming vehicles if a driverless truck powered by Plus becomes disabled. Plus will incorporate ESS’s hardware into the SuperDrive autonomous driving fleet, enhancing safety protocols in the event a truck is inoperable due to a system or base vehicle issue.
“H.E.L.P. Alerts will contribute to our comprehensive incident management capabilities by expanding our sensor architecture and enhancing communications with road users and emergency services. This enhancement supports our progress toward completing our safety case, now at 75%, and achieving readiness for commercial driver-out operations soon,” said David Liu, CEO and Co-founder at Plus. “Autonomous trucks must excel in normal driving conditions and be prepared for the unexpected. This collaboration underscores Plus’s unwavering commitment to safety as the top priority across every level of our autonomous trucking technology and operations.”
No matter how well the software operates, tires do get punctured! And much more can and does happen on the road.
Stephen Powers, COO and Co-Founder of ESS, added, “By combining H.E.L.P. advance warning communications with Plus’s industry-leading AI-based autonomous driving technology, we are advancing safety for autonomous trucks and improving road safety for everyone. It is exciting to be part of the transformative change that autonomous trucks will bring to our economy and society.”
Emergency Safety Solutions aims to save lives by eliminating preventable crashes involving vulnerable vehicles that are disabled and stopped on or near active roadways. The company notes that this is a growing safety issue affecting nearly 125,000 people yearly in the U.S., with nearly 23,000 injured or killed.
H.E.L.P. Alerts introduce a distinctive emergency warning feature, known as H.E.L.P. Lighting Alerts, which activates high-frequency flashing of the truck’s and trailer’s lamps in emergency situations. This feature alerts nearby vehicles and drivers to the presence of a disabled autonomous truck and any potential hazards.
Additionally, H.E.L.P. Digital Alerts add an extra layer of advanced warning by broadcasting the real-time location of a stopped SuperDrive autonomous truck. These alerts are delivered through navigation apps and in-dash notifications, providing oncoming drivers with timely warnings to slow down and safely navigate around the disabled vehicle.
Headquartered in Silicon Valley with operations in the U.S. and Europe, Plus’s large AI models are already powering vehicles in commercial use today. Plus’s autonomous driving solutions span from driver-out SuperDrive to driver-in, highly automated PlusDrive, and model-based perception software PlusVision. Deployment partners include Bosch, DSV, Hyundai Motor Company, Iveco Group, Luminar, and Transurban, in addition to Scania/MAN/International of the TRATON GROUP.
As the launch of driverless trucking becomes reality – most likely during 2025 – autonomy providers are doing what it takes to operate in the real world. The ESS enhancement provided to Plus addresses one of many issues that must be handled for customers and the public to trust and co-exist with this technology.
Disclosure: Richard Bishop is an Advisor and equity holder in the following companies mentioned in this article: Plus.
