Hyundai Motor Company has unveiled an autonomous heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell electric truck which is currently undergoing initial driving assessments.
Developed in collaboration with autonomous driving software firm Plus, Hyundai’s Class 8 XCIENT Fuel Cell truck has been equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving technology – which could allow the vehicle to operate completely autonomously under certain conditions.
The truck is currently undergoing initial driving assessment in the US, which the companies say makes it the “first-ever” Level 4 self-driving test on a Class 8 fuel cell electric truck to take place in the country.
Aimed at showing that autonomous hydrogen trucks can make trucking “safer, more efficient and more sustainable,” Plus’ SuperDrive technology has already been deployed across the US, Europe and Australia.
Using a combination of sensors, such as LiDAR, radar and cameras, Plus says the technology provides surround perception, planning, prediction and self-driving capabilities.
First introduced in 2020, the manually operated XCIENT truck has already conducted commercial operations in eight countries.
Martin Zeilinger, Executive Vice-President and Head of Commerical Vehicle Development at Hyundai, said by adding autonomous capabilities to the truck, it looks forward to “providing fleets and vehicle operators additional solutions that enhance road safety and freight efficiencies thanks to Plus’s industry-leading autonomous driving technology.”
“A decarbonised future with autonomous hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks that also improve safety and efficiency is one that Plus is proud to support with our cutting-edge autonomous driving technology,” added Shawn Kerrigan, Chief Operating Officer and co-founder at Plus.
It’s not the first time organisations have looked to combine self-driving and hydrogen powertrain technologies in vehicles.
In 2021, Auve Tech and the University of Tartu developed an autonomous hydrogen vehicle which passed the Estonian Road Administration’s test.
With self-driving vehicles being approved for use in various regions, proponents say autonomous trucking could allow logistics firms to operate during off-peak hours, helping to reduce congestion and allowing increased productivity with no need for driver breaks.
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