Autonomous truck platooning test aims to boost technology’s adoption in Midwest

The 175-mile trek between Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis was the setting recently for two tractor-trailers testing autonomous truck platooning technology as part of a project partly funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The trucks were hauling shipments Monday for Dublin, Ohio-based Ease Logistics as part of a collaboration between the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Indiana Department of Transportation, according to DriveOhio, an agency focused on advancing smart mobility. The goal is to promote adoption of truck automation tech throughout the Midwest, where autonomous vehicle testing has been scarcer than in warmer Southern climates, DriveOhio stated in a news release.

The trucks are equipped with Kratos Defense platooning technology that links them electronically. The driver of the lead vehicle can control the speed and direction of the second truck, “enabling it to precisely follow the path of the leader,” DriveOhio noted. Along portions of the trips across Interstate 70, the follower truck – which also had a professional in the driver’s seat – relied on the autonomous system to accelerate, brake and steer. The drivers of both trucks could shut off the system and take control of the vehicles if needed.

The trucks traveled close together, the release stated, so purple lights on the cabs let law enforcement know they were electronically linked.

“This technology offers a complete safety system with redundancies that could make roadways safer,” Ohio State Highway Patrol Capt. Chris Kinn said. “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.”

ODOT Director Pam Boratyn added: “We’re committed to reducing deaths on our roadways and vehicle automation technologies can be part of the solution. 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.”

The technology is key to meeting challenges in everything from the agricultural, mining and energy sectors to national defense, said Maynard Factor, vice president 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,” Factor said in the release. “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.”

The technology can markedly cut air drag and fuel consumption for fleets, according to a 2024 study.

A DOT grant is partially funding the $8.8 million, multiyear project, which is gauging different levels of automation in truck fleets.

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