Non-profit Together for Safer Roads (TSR), along with a collective of fleets including Anheuser Busch InBev, PepsiCo, and Republic Services, recently announced the Truck of the Future project, a program to reduce large truck collisions.
The project intends on identifying and testing ways to eliminate collisions between commercial trucks and other vehicles based on a recent session convened by TSR that included safety experts from some of the world's largest fleets, which identified driver visibility as a high priority.
"There are many interventions that can address driver visibility issues — improved cab designs, collision avoidance systems and better infrastructure to name a few," said Cormac Gilligan, vice president, global environmental, health and safety at PepsiCo.
TSR President David Braunstein called the project a “call to arms regarding an underappreciated aspect of road safety.” The group is actively seeking out partnerships with startups that focus on commercially viable emerging technology solutions that could help reduce the number of collisions and improve driver visibility.
"The inclusion of our technology incubator in this unique initiative allows us to solve big business challenges with innovation and creativity," said Joshua Girard, global director of safety at AB InBev.
"We are constantly evaluating new technologies to help our drivers stay safe behind the wheel. Over the last decade there have been significant advances in video and sensor technology,” said Jim Olson, Republic Services vice president of safety.
As part of the project, an innovative solution provider will be selected during a virtual, international pitch day on December 2, 2020. The chosen solution will be piloted in the U.S. and an international market in 2021.
