Diamler Mercedes is unveiling a semi truck that drives itself.
Called the Freightliner Inspiration, the truck signals the future of trucking.
Truckers will one day be able to put a truck into auto-pilot, taking over only when needed like in bad weather and on city streets.
While truck manufacturers are quickly developing self-driving trucks, truck driving schools are still busy training new truck drivers.
At the C1 Truck Driving School near Strafford, the new technology has instructors and students talking about the future of the industry.
"I think that's all good technology. I think it's something we have to look forward to," says Aurthur Butler, Director of the C1 Truck Driving School.
Butler believes the auto-pilot functions could actually improve safety and reduce accidents.
"Certainly it makes sense that the drivers could be less fatigued if they're not having to sit and stare out the windshield for hours and hours at a time. I think that system seems to be taking over what I would consider the most tedious part of the job which is driving down the highway, straight line driving," says Jim Austin, a truck driving instructor at C1.
Austin says humans are still better than machines at things like navigating city traffic and compensating for bad weather conditions, so drivers are still needed.
"As of right now there's too many things that you're in control of on a truck that I can't see that automated system being able to compensate for," says Butler.
Butler and Austin say they're not worried about losing the millions of truck driving jobs in this country.
"In my generation I don't think I'll ever see that happen where the truck driver is done away with," says Butler.
"I just think there's always going to be a need for some person up there, to actually make the corrections as they occur, and make sure you stay on top of stuff as it happens, you can see down the road and see what's about to come up," says Austin.
However, Butler and Austin agree that since technology is developing so fast, it's hard to tell exactly how far down the road a driverless truck might be.
Called the Freightliner Inspiration, the truck signals the future of trucking.
Truckers will one day be able to put a truck into auto-pilot, taking over only when needed like in bad weather and on city streets.
While truck manufacturers are quickly developing self-driving trucks, truck driving schools are still busy training new truck drivers.
At the C1 Truck Driving School near Strafford, the new technology has instructors and students talking about the future of the industry.
"I think that's all good technology. I think it's something we have to look forward to," says Aurthur Butler, Director of the C1 Truck Driving School.
Butler believes the auto-pilot functions could actually improve safety and reduce accidents.
"Certainly it makes sense that the drivers could be less fatigued if they're not having to sit and stare out the windshield for hours and hours at a time. I think that system seems to be taking over what I would consider the most tedious part of the job which is driving down the highway, straight line driving," says Jim Austin, a truck driving instructor at C1.
Austin says humans are still better than machines at things like navigating city traffic and compensating for bad weather conditions, so drivers are still needed.
"As of right now there's too many things that you're in control of on a truck that I can't see that automated system being able to compensate for," says Butler.
Butler and Austin say they're not worried about losing the millions of truck driving jobs in this country.
"In my generation I don't think I'll ever see that happen where the truck driver is done away with," says Butler.
"I just think there's always going to be a need for some person up there, to actually make the corrections as they occur, and make sure you stay on top of stuff as it happens, you can see down the road and see what's about to come up," says Austin.
However, Butler and Austin agree that since technology is developing so fast, it's hard to tell exactly how far down the road a driverless truck might be.
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