Self-driving trucks? Lockheed Martin says: "we've got us a convoy!"

Since 2010, Military manufacturer Lockheed Martin has logged over 20,000 miles, testing CAST, or “Convoy Active Safety Technology”, on roads enclosed within military testing facilities.

The self-driving system does not only apply to trucks, but it can be retrofitted on any size military land vehicle.

Civilian applications for this patent might still be a very long way ahead, but so far the tests have been successful, and according to Lockheed, the new system can “significantly reduce crew fatigue, eliminate rear-end collisions, enhance operator situational awareness and enable a more effective response to attack”.

According to sources, Lockheed Martin, under the supervision of the “U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development”, has successfully completed a second series of tests, that confirm the ability of driverless tanks and trucks to operate in different environments and weather conditions.

The second round of tests was performed after Lockheed Martin was awarded $11 million dollars for the development of AMAS, or “Autonomous Mobility Appliqué System”. AMAS consists of a system of low-cost sensors integrated into a multi-platform kit that can be installed onto Marine Corps tactical vehicles “to assist drivers or enable tactical operations in convoys”.

The fully automated system will give the options to drivers to partially or fully interact with the equipment, to make adjustments, or to take full control of the vehicle.

David Simmons, Lockheed Martin’s AMAS program manager for Missile and Fire control, commented on the tests:

"I would describe these tests as a successful demonstration of the maturing capabilities of AMAS technology. We will conduct further safety testing within the next month, and the program will execute a six-week Operational Demonstration in the July-August timeframe, during which time Soldiers and Marines will assess the system benefits in realistic convoy operations"