BOSTON -- Chances are you have heard about self-driving cars and maybe you have even seen one on the road. It is technology that is rapidly evolving to different models and now, to even larger semi trucks.
Imagine big trucks you pass and weave around every day, driven not by the person behind the wheel, but by the technology inside it.
"Nobody wants an 80,000 pound tractor-trailer going with nobody in the front seat," said Kevin Burch, President of JetExpress Trucking.
In 2016, a semi ran test routes on several highways. The driver in the front seat had no hands on the steering wheel. Like cars, these trucks use sensors and radar to operate. They scan their surroundings and make decisions, somewhat like humans. But according to experts, they are better at it and not distracted by cell phones and conversations.
However, driving can be unpredictable and require split-second lane changes and stops. Some people question whether the computer can keep up.
"We might be asking more than is realistic," said truck driver James Mercier. He questioned whether the truck could run over another vehicle or a person in the road. That is what happened last month in Arizona when an autonomous Uber car struck and killed a woman crossing the street.
"It's got to be 100 percent. Every life is important," said Kevin Burch.
Last spring Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker expressed concern that a loss of trucking jobs from self-driving semis had the potential to cause "a tremendous amount of economic hardship".
Kevin Burch believes drivers would still play an important role.
"The airline industry has had automatic pilots for a long time. They've been able to take off and land without a pilot, but you never see a pilot back in row 22 A or B that you and I might be sitting at," said Burch.
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