Highways England is trialling self-driving dump trucks on improvement works in Cambridgeshire, in a bid to speed up road works.
The technology on the new truck, being used in partnership with earthworks contractor CA Blackwell, has previously been tested in Australia and are now being used on the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon.
As part of the trial, costing £150,000, the truck is programmed remotely to follow a pre-determined route and has the capability to detect and avoid obstacles, other vehicles and the like, along the route as it drives.
Highways England claimed they had the potential to work around the clock and reduced the risk of road workers being involved in incidents on site. It expects it to take just another two or three years before autonomous dump trucks are in full operation.
Deputy project director on behalf of Highways England for the A14 Julian Lamb said: “We’re increasingly looking to technological advances to help us safely bring improvements to drivers on England’s motorways and major A roads.
“Road construction has changed massively over the years and the testing of trucks such as these promises to allow us to work efficiently, speeding up roadworks, giving more protection to road workers, and moving jobs to other skilled areas.
“The trial we are leading with our partner CA Blackwell will enable the construction industry as a whole to be in a more informed position to make key decisions about autonomy on UK construction sites.”
Niall Fraser, director CA Blackwell, said: “We are delighted to have received the backing of Highways England and their Designated Funds grant for this trial and are grateful for the support and commitment of our technology providers in making it a reality.”
