无人驾驶卡车将在欧洲高速公路第一次测试

First Self-Driving Truck Debuts¹ on European Highways 无人驾驶卡车将在欧洲高速公路第一次测试

The first automated² semi-trailer truck started its maiden³ voyage Friday, October 2, on a European highway. The Daimler truck called 'Actros' is the first potentially mass-produced truck whose driver will be required only to monitor the situation, similar to the role of an airline captain while the plane is in autopilot mode.

The new 430-horsepower truck, loaded with 40 tons of cargo⁴, slowly pulled out of the parking lot in Stuttgart, driven by the head of Daimler’s trucks and buses division, Wolfgang Bernhard.

Chatting with him in the passenger seat was Winfred Kretschmann, the prime minister of Baden-Wuerttemberg, the first German state to issue a license⁵ for autonomous⁶ trailer-trucks.

Once on the highway, the driver lets the truck take over the steering⁷, said Wolfgang Bernhard of the Daimler Trucks and Buses Division.

“If I press this button now, we are on the road and we have actually begun the world premiere," he said. "Shall we do it, prime minister? Let's do it.”

Soon, the truck was self-driving down the busy A8 highway, near Stuttgart, at 80 kilometers per hour, followed by a car with cameras and, just in case, a police car.

That doesn't mean the driver can zone out, there are strict rules for the person behind the wheel, said Bernhard.

“I'm not allowed to turn around," he added. "I'm not allowed to turn to the side because I have to continue to monitor the traffic situation. But I can take my hands off the wheel and, as you can see, the steering is smooth and the vehicle remains⁸ on track.”

A radar⁹ and a number of video cameras and sensors¹⁰ constantly monitor the road conditions. In adverse¹¹ situations the truck will ask the driver to take over and, if he does not, it will automatically slow to a stop.

Daimler says its advanced trucks will relieve the drivers from the strain of driving on monotonous¹² stretches of the road and in stop-and-go traffic jams.

The company hopes necessary laws permitting such operations elsewhere could be passed before the initial goal of 2020.

1 debuts   

演员首次演出( debut的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He never really debuts the idea of taking money from his parents any longer. 他从此就再也没有认真起过向父母要钱的念头。
• This young soprano debuts next month at the metropolitan opera. 这位年轻的女高音歌唱家下个月将在纽约大都会歌剧院举行首演。

2 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

3 maiden   

n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的

参考例句：

• The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
• The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

4 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

5 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

6 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

7 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

10 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

11 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

12 monotonous   

adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的

参考例句：

• She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。
• His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律，一个调调儿。