Russian Design Firm’s Sci-Fi Concept Is the Future of Self-Driving Electric Trucks

This unmanned EV would drastically reduce pollution and transportation costs.

Designers at the Art Lebedev Studio, based in Moscow, have unveiled renderings of their concept for an electric, autonomous semi-truck they’ve dubbed the “Gruzovikus.” 

With an elegantly aerodynamic look more appropriate to spacecraft and conceived to operate with cutting edge AI programming, the creatives at Lebedev believe they’ve come up with something that represents an idealized blend of “intelligence and beauty.”

Here’s more from Art Lebedev’s overview:

A regular semi today looks like a mad brick: it has horrible aerodynamic qualities. Gruzovikus has a streamlined screen in the front that separates the oncoming air flows while protecting the sides from dirt and loads the front axle, adding stability to the rig.

Gruzovikus is equipped with passive computer vision: cameras, sensors and radars capture the distance to nearby objects while the central computer instantly triggers a response to changes in traffic conditions.

So, as daunting as the prospect of a massive, multi-ton vehicle guiding itself across the nation’s highways may be, no human in sight, it does make some sense when applied to the Gruzovikus, as it appears expressly designed for perfect visual and sensory perception of its environment.

And yes, it’s true: Gruzovikus, once implemented, would be incredibly cost-efficient as well as ecologically friendly. Running off electricity, there’d be no emissions, and with the array of programming and equipment Art Lebedev suggests, there also wouldn’t be a need for a driver.

Find out more here, and check out more of Art Lebedev’s work via their homepage, artlebedev.com.