There should be a system that communicates accurate positioning data, more accurate than GPS, installed on the interstates and highways, to allow the safe driving of auto-piloted semi-trucks, that would require a driver to accompany the vehicle, but could require that there be two drivers per semi-truck, which would not excessively increase the cost of transit, and would also allow one driver to sleep while the other driver operates. This could allow the semi-trucks to operate nearly 24/7, transferring more cargo, to more destinations, safely.
The navigation systems of the semi-trucks should include cameras at all lengths of the trailer, to monitor for potential vehicle collisions, in addition to cameras in the front and rear, all of which keep track of the vehicles around the truck and trailer, and monitor for hijackers using a system that links to the Department of Homeland Security, to identify subjects that are a risk to national security, through high-resolution facial recognition, and the systems could dispatch police cruisers to the scene when a subject is identified in proximity to a semi-truck.
This is increasingly important in today’s world, in which two terrorist attacks have occurred using semi-trucks.
The development of auto-driving technologies should factor in hack-less systems that cannot be compromised by hackers, either over the Internet or through the system’s communications protocols. This type of system would basically design security into the entire infrastructure that maintains the auto-driving vehicles, and prevents them from being used for terrorism – as these types of vehicles would pose potentially, more of a risk, because they could be programmed to carry explosives or other materials to a destination and remotely detonate the materials.
The vehicles could have sensors installed in them that detect certain types of chemicals, and radiation detectors, which would immediately notify the government of any readings that are out of the ordinary. This could secure both the vehicles, and the vehicles in the proximity.
There would need to be circumstances understood, such as passing near a nuclear power plant when there is an exhaust leak, that certain sensors, even at low levels of radiation that are not normally detected, would set off the security systems, and there would need to be security over the release of such information, due to the sensitivity of the sensors.
Additionally, there could be an uplink of the cameras on the semi-trucks that are automatically driven, so intelligence about other vehicles could be collected and sent to DHS and/or DOT for analysis, such as catching people who road rage or speed.
