Tesla developing long haul, self-driving semi-truck

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced in April that the company is working on pushing a long-haul electric semi-truck to market, which is set to be formally revealed in September.

Now it seems that the electric semi-truck will also be able to drive itself and move in “platoons” that automatically follow a lead vehicle.

Tesla is getting closer to testing a prototype, according to an email discussion of potential road tests between the car company and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), seen by Reuters.

Meanwhile, California officials are meeting with Tesla next week “to talk about Tesla’s efforts with autonomous trucks.”

The correspondence and meeting show that Tesla is putting self-driving technology into the electric truck it has plans to unveil in September, and is advancing toward real-life tests, potentially moving it forward in a highly competitive area of commercial transport.

Some companies also are working on technology for “platooning”, a driving formation where trucks follow one another closely. If trucks at the back of the formation were able to automatically follow a lead vehicle, that could cut the need for drivers.