Commercial trucking to experience self driving innovation

California based software company Peloton plans to partially automate commercial trucking to allow one driver to pilot two vehicles.

Peloton has received $60 million in a second round of funding, and hopes to put its self driving system on the road next year.

The WSJ reports:
"Peloton's system allows two trucks travelling front-to-back to be controlled by a driver in the front vehicle, creating what the company calls a platoon system. Trailing the lead vehicle by as little as 30 feet, the second truck uses about 10% less fuel because of reduced wind resistance from the lead truck, Peloton says. ["¦]

Peloton is focused instead on a two-truck system for highway travel in which each truck would be staffed by a driver who can take over when weather or traffic dictate.

Peloton, based in Mountain View, Calif., wants to introduce the system by 2018. Omnitracs LLC, a provider of remote monitoring systems for truck fleets, led the new funding round."