Clear winners are hard to pick in the race to develop self-driving vehicles, but autonomous trucks have built a convincing lead. Robotrucks have completed thousands of automated journeys and a new era of driverless delivery appears to lie in store for the world.
Big-name vehicle manufacturers like Daimler, alongside AV (autonomous vehicle) innovators like Aurorae have sunk billions of dollars into making self-driving trucks work, which is a solid investment in road freight (货运).
Fitted with complex LIDAR road scanning systems, computer vision, and AI predictive software, the vehicles serve the so-called “middle mile” between distribution centers, where loads are picked up and dropped off for human drivers to complete deliveries to homes and businesses.
Texas, with its spacious highways, prosperous road freight market, and relaxed regulations, provides ideal conditions to road test the trucks. Other states have their own regulations in place to allow AV testing on public roads.
There are six levels of vehicle automation (from 0 to 5) and level five — full autonomy, drive anywhere — is the end goal. Autonomous journeys often run at level four, which turns out safe, with a backup driver in the cab ready to take control in case an accident happens. In December 2021 a level 4 semi-truck drove 80 miles on public roads, between a railyard in Tucson, Arizona, and a distribution center in Phoenix.
Analysts say that up to 90 percent of long-distance trucking jobs could be lost to self-driving technology once it becomes widespread. Safety is another concern. Questions of whether authorities are ready to deal with the new technology followed a crash between a Waymo Via class 8 truck and another human-driven semi-truck near Ennis, Texas. The human driver was at fault, but the safety operator in the Waymo truck did not take control during the incident and a report exposed the weaknesses of the way the crash was dealt with.
AV industry representatives say their vehicles with self-driving technology are safer and more efficient than cars driven by people and will improve road safety. But doubts from road safety campaigners, transport workers, and city authorities exist about rapid change without stricter controls. All agree that new laws will be necessary.
1. What is paragraph 3 of the text mainly about?| A．The complex system of the vehicles. |
| B．The process of picking up and dropping off loads. |
| C．Ways of completing deliveries to homes and businesses. |
| D．The function of autonomous vehicles in road freight. |
| A．More often than not, trucks running at level 4 are secure. |
| B．Levels of vehicle automation serve different purposes. |
| C．“Full autonomy, drive anywhere” is the ultimate target. |
| D．A backup driver in the cab is crucial in avoiding an accident. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Approving. | C．Objective. | D．Dismissive. |
| A．The Evolution and Implications of Self-Driving Vehicles |
| B．Robotrucks to Deliver a New Era of Driverless Technology |
| C．A Solid Investment from Big-Name Vehicle Manufacturers |
| D．The Testing of Autonomous Trucks on Public Roads with Level 4 |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】How to Double the Life of Your Car Battery
Typically, car batteries will last you four to six years.
According to the Motor Trade Association, frequent short trips could actually contribute to a shorter lifetime for car batteries.
A car battery can be damaged if the battery connection is loose. A battery that is not well fastened could potentially result in internal damage. What should you do to prevent such a situation from happening?
It's also important to watch out for signs of corrosion（腐蚀）—a white powder around the battery. Corrosion will naturally form on your car battery terminal as time goes on. If nothing is done about it, it won't be long before you change a new battery.
| A．Batteries can function well in cold winter. |
| B．So you'd better clean the battery regularly. |
| C．However, some factors could shorten their life. |
| D．Make sure you check your battery at regular times. |
| E．A car battery change will be the answer to corrosion. |
| F．On the contrary, driving longer distances often does good. |
| G．Batteries typically stand up to most types of temperatures. |
【推荐2】The Model T, created by Henry Ford, changed the way Americans live, work and travel. On October 1, 1908, the Ford Motor Company introduced the Model T. The car came only in black. But at $850, it cost about half as much as other cars on the market. Henry Ford’s great improvement in an automobile assembly line (汽车装配线) made the Model T the first car to be affordable for most Americans. For the first time car ownership became a reality for normal American workers, not just the wealthy.
Assembly-line production allowed the price of the touring car to be lowered from $850 in 1908 to less than $300 in 1925. At that time half of all the cars in the United States were Model Ts. Even before it lost favour to larger and more powerful cars, the Model T, known as the “Tin Lizzie,” had become an American symbol, basically realizing Ford’s goal to “democratize the automobile.”
Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. At first, Ford built only a few cars a day. Because demand (需求) for Model Ts was so high, Ford developed a way to make more of them without increasing cost. In 1913, he invented a moving assembly line. Workers stood in front of a conveyor belt (传送带), and each completed one step in putting the cars together.
Ford’s method of mass production changed life in the U.S. More people could travel. Highways grew.The Ford Motor Company stopped making the Model T in 1927. But the automotive lifestyle had taken hold of America. Today, the race is on to make cars more efficient and to find green energy to power them. Will inventors with Ford’s creativity bring the next revolution?
1. What made the Model T affordable for common American people?| A．Its old style. |
| B．Its small engine. |
| C．Comparatively cheap car labor. |
| D．A more developed method of production. |
| A．It had many different colors. | B．It was mostly owned by the wealthy. |
| C．It became cheaper from 1908 to 1925. | D．It was the first car built by Americans. |
| A．Popularize. | B．Develop. | C．Change. | D．Sell. |
| A．He doubts it. | B．He thinks highly of it. |
| C．He feels it needs changes. | D．He has mixed feelings about it. |
【推荐3】A promotion (促销活动) offering 98 yuan plane tickets is being advertised by Chinese online travel platform LY.COM. While such a low price sounds amazing, there is just one catch: The buyer is not told where the flight is heading, nor when it will take off.
The promotion has become a hot topic on Chinese social media as some people have been attempting to book them ahead of the upcoming 7 days holiday. Labeled (贴标签) as a “destination blind box” on the site, tickets are bought through a rather simple booking procedure, in which passengers provide their travel information, select a departure airport and then pay their 98 yuan. If the randomly (随意地) chosen date and destination are unsuitable, users may ask for a refund, but once they “lock in” their tickets, there is no going back.
“Destination blind box” is now a hot topic on China's online platforms. “I believe the youth are a big target for this promotion, because they not only enjoy the excitement of the unknown, but also like to show off their lives through these types of activities. Like this one for example, it doesn't matter if they finally go or not. Booking a ticket and posting about it on social media can still suggest that one has adventurous and life-loving qualities,” said Fan, a marketing expert who has worked with civil aviation (航空) clients.
1. Which of the following best explains “catch” underlined in paragraph 1?| A．Disadvantage. | B．Benefit. | C．Mistake. | D．Charm. |
| A．The origin of “destination blind box”. |
| B．The popularity of “destination blind box”. |
| C．The original purpose of “destination blind box”. |
| D．The way to purchase “destination blind box”. |
| A．It allows them to experience various adventures. |
| B．It helps them save money on the cost of travel. |
| C．It meet with their lifestyle and attitudes. |
| D．It satisfies their desire to travel around China. |
| A．Sports. | B．Science. | C．Economy. | D．Education. |
【推荐1】There is hope for our planet’s survival. Innovative products are being designed to reduce our dependence on plastic, single-use plastic in particular.
One such innovation comes from international design firm Carlo Ratti Associati with its “Feel the Peel” machine, an experimental rounded juice bar that not only makes freshly squeezed orange juice, but also 3D prints a recyclable bio plastic cup with the leftover orange peels (果皮).
Designed with global energy company Eni. The juicer is 10 feet tall and topped with a massive dome (圆顶) feeding the juicer with oranges on demand. The dome is made up of round tracks that hold up to 1,500 oranges. A3D printer is set up in the base of the machine.
The machine goes like magic. When an order is placed, the oranges slide down the tracks to a squeezer, and the juice is then deposited (使沉积) into an “orange peel” bio-plastic cup, ready to enjoy. Meanwhile, the freshly squeezed peels fall down a tube and gather at the bottom of the machine where they are dried, milled and mixed with Poly lactic Acid, creating a bio plastic material. The bio plastic is then heated and melted into a filament (细丝) and the 3D printer then creates recyclable bio plastic cups, ready to be filled with freshly squeezed juice.
How cool that is! It seems that Carlo Ratti Associati and Eni have plans to take “Feel the Peel” beyond just orange juice.
“The principle of recycling is a must for today’s objects,” says Carlo Ratti, “Working with Eni, we tried to show recycling in a very tangible way, by developing a machine that helps us to understand how oranges can be used well beyond their juice. The next improvement of “Feel the Peel” might include new functions, such as printing fabric for clothing from orange peels.”
1. What can we know about “Feel the Peel” machine?| A．It increases the output of orange juice. |
| B．It makes orange juice taste better. |
| C．It bans the use of single-use plastic. |
| D．It makes something beyond orange juice. |
| A．The reason for the machine’s popularity. |
| B．The way the machine works. |
| C．The structure of the machine. |
| D．The way to use the machine. |
| A．Pessimistic. | B．Cautious. | C．Positive. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．Orange Juicer 3D Prints Bioplastic Cups |
| B．A New Form of Orange Peels |
| C．Different Innovative Products Are Being Designed |
| D．Carlo Invents Several Recyclable Machines |
【推荐2】Many robots track objects by “sight”as they work with them, but optical (光学的) sensors can’t take in an item’s entire shape when it’s in the dark or partially blocked from view. Now a new low-cost technique lets a robotic hand “feel”an unfamiliar object’s form- and skillfully handle it based on this information alone.
University of California, San Diego, roboticist Wang Xiaolong and his team wanted to find out whether complex actions could be achieved in robotics using only simple touch data.
The researchers attached 16 contact sensors, each costing about and fingers of a four-fingered robot hand. These sensors simply indicate if an object is touching the hand or not. “While one sensor doesn’t catch much, a lot of them can help you capture different aspects of the object”, Wang says. In this case, the robot’s task was to rotate (旋转) items placed in its palm.
They first ran simulations (模拟) to collect enough touch data as a virtual robot hand practiced rotating objects, including balls and other irregular objects. Using information from each sensor, the team built a computer model that determines an object’s position at every step of the handling process and moves the fingers to rotate it smoothly and stably.
Next, they transferred this capability to operate a real robot hand, which successfully controlled previously unfamiliar objects such as apples, tomatoes, soup cans and rubber ducks. Transfering the computer model to the real world was relatively easy because the sensor data were so simple. However, New York University’s Lerrel Pinto, who studies robots’ interactions, wonders whether the system would fail at more complicated tasks.
So, in future work, Wang’s group aims to tackle more complex movements as well as to add sensors in places such as the sides of the fingers. “This means that there will be more accurate information from touching that allows reconstructing the object shape,”Wang says. The researchers will also try adding vision to complement touch data for handling complicated shapes.
1. Why did Wang Xiaolong’s group conduct the research?| A．To develop a robot with advanced optical sensors. |
| B．To explore the use of touch data in complex robotic actions. |
| C．To investigate the impact of lighting on robotic recognition. |
| D．To create a robotic hand to take hold of familiar objects. |
| A．The function of robot hands in Wang’s research. |
| B．The way that robot hands capture different objects. |
| C．The type of contact sensors attached to the robot hand. |
| D．The working principle of robot hands in Wang’s research. |
| A．They used real-world objects. |
| B．They used complex optical sensors. |
| C．They relied on vision-based technology. |
| D．They conducted simulations with a robot hand. |
| A．In different. | B．Doubtful. | C．Positive. | D．Dismissive. |
【推荐3】Electricity has started flowing from the Hornsea 2 wind farm, which will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm when it is complete. Located in the ocean off the UK’s east coast, it is unlikely to hold the title long, however. The expansion of onshore wind has flattened out, but offshore is in the rapid growth phase,and some huge projects are under development and consideration.
When complete, Hornsea 2 will consist of 165 wind turbines (涡轮机), each with a peak capacity of 8 MW. At 1,320 MW, Hornsea 2 will take the title of world’s largest from the neighboring Homsea 1, which has smaller but more numerous turbines, for a total capacity of 1,218 MW.
The project came in the fortuitous-timing. The possibility that limitations in gas supply and a cold winter could seriously disturb electricity networks in the UK, causing anxiety for months. Even a small part of Hornsea’s eventual production will help reduce that danger. On its first morning, it contributed to almost 50 percent of Britain’s electricity.
Meanwhile, the development coincides (类似) with China’s largest offshore wind farm, Jiangsu Qidong, which reached full operation a day later. At a total of 802 MW, Jiangsu Qidong is behind either Hornsea stage, but it is twice the size of the existing offshore wind farm outside Europe. North American wind farms usually standardize with a single size of turbine, but Jiangsu Qidong uses seven models.
Neither Hornsea nor Jiangsu Qidong compares to the giant wind farms being developed by Denmark and South Korea,and the more potential giant off Iceland. Even before those come to fruition, Hornsea’s third stage—with 2,400 MW soon to start construction—will leave them well behind.
Even with operations beginning at these wind farms,offshore wind accounts for less than 10 percent of global wind production. It’s also currently more expensive. However, prices are falling faster for offshore, as turbines get larger and experience grows. It is anticipated that the next round of UK wind farms, instead of requiring subsidies (补贴), will return money to the public.
1. What is Britain trying to do to provide more energy recently?| A．Expand more onshore wind power farms. |
| B．Produce more electricity from fossil fuels. |
| C．Develop wind power from the land to the sea. |
| D．Build the world’s largest turbine off the coast. |
| A．At a high speed. | B．In a wide range. |
| C．At the right moment. | D．Ahead of schedule. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By following time order. |
| C．By listing some statistics. | D．By giving some examples. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Tolerant. | C．Favorable. | D．Objective. |
【推荐1】Japanese officials say they are pleased with the quality of the asteroid (小行星) material collected by a spacecraft and returned to Earth.
Last week, officials from Japan described the samples (样品), which were collected from the Ryugu asteroid in July 2019. Ryugu sits more than 300 million kilometers from Earth. Japan's unpiloted Hayabusa2 spacecraft removed the material after making a hole into the asteroid.
The space agency said the July 2019 task aimed to collect samples from below the surface of Ryugu. During an earlier operation in February 2019, Hayabusa2 collected material from a different part of the asteroid. The second collection effort resulted in sample pieces as big as 1 centimeter. The black material looked similar to charcoal and was very hard. It did not break apart when picked up or poured into another container.
Earlier this month, space officials described the samples Hayabusa2 removed on its first mission as smaller, sandy pieces. They were collected from the surface of Ryugu. Hayabusa2 was launched in December 2014 and arrived near Ryugu in June 2018. The Japanese space mission aims to use the samples to learn more about how our solar system formed.
To get the second set of samples in July, Hayabusa2 used an impactor to knock the asteroid's surface. The aim was to collect material unaffected by space radiation or other environmental conditions. The size differences suggest different hardness of the bedrock of the asteroid. One possibility is that the place of the second touchdown was a hard bedrock and larger particles broke and entered the container.
Hayabusa2 is now on another mission to a smaller asteroid, called 1998KY26. The Japanese government expects the aircraft to take 11 years to reach that asteroid. Hayabusa2's new task aims to study possible ways to prevent large stones from hitting Earth.
1. What does the underlined word “unpiloted” in Para. 2 mean?| A．Out of date. | B．Highly advanced. |
| C．Without drivers. | D．Extremly pricy. |
| A．Study how the solar system was born. |
| B．Determine the movement of asteroids. |
| C．Study the environment on the asteroid. |
| D．Uncover when the asteroid was formed. |
| A．To discover new planets. |
| B．To fetch more materials in space. |
| C．To travel around the solar system. |
| D．To explore ways to protect the earth. |
| A．Japan Makes Progress in Studying Solar System |
| B．Japan Is Pleased with Latest Asteroid Samples |
| C．The Secret of an Asteroid Comes to Light |
| D．The Earth Faces Threats from Space |
【推荐2】Instant Fame
In the internet era, one could become a web celebrity within seconds.
This is true of Tamdrin, a 20-year-old Tibetan man, who recently attracted a lot of attention after a photographer posted a less than 10-second video of him on Douyin. Tamdrin now lives in Litang County of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province.
The netizens were amazed at his pretty face with sun-kissed skin, a mop of brown hair and an “angelic and comforting” smile. In particular, Tamdrin had “stars in his eyes”. People think that he is different from today's popular young male idols who are characterized for their beautifully clean faces, fair skin and delicate makeup. On Nov 19, Tamdrin posted his first video on his own Douyin account. As of Nov 24, the video received more than 2.2 million likes and over100,000 comments, and he had over 2.5 million followers.
After Tamdrin shot to sudden stardom, some companies invited him to become a professional online celebrity. Instead of doing this, Tamdrin was employed by a state-owned company.
"Tamdrin has been hired .... to promote the tourism of Litang county and Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture,” Gao Xiaoping told Red Star News. Gao is a deputy manager of the county's culture, tourism and sports investment development company.
“He'll get a monthly salary of 3,500 yuan as well as insurance and subsidies. We'll check the qualifications of the companies that want to cooperate with him to prevent him from being cheated,” he added.
“I'm glad to see that Tibetans are increasingly becoming internet celebrities,” Sangyeshung, a Tibetan man who works as a physician for the Ganlu Tibetan Medicine Group in the Tibet autonomous region, told China Daily.
“They can introduce Tibetan culture, food and places of interests to the world,” he said.
1. What drew netizens' attention to Tamdrin?| A．His personalities. | B．His appearance. |
| C．His hometown. | D．His education level. |
| A．Be a professional online celebrity. | B．Cooperate with investment development company |
| C．Work in a state-owned company. | D．Post his video on his own Douyin account |
| A．Supportive. | B．Negative. | C．Neutral. | D．doubtful. |
| A．Study guide. | B．Advertisement. | C．Personal diary. | D．Entertainment newspaper. |
【推荐3】On February 22, 2021, cancer survivor Hayley Areeneaux was selected to be one of four crew members of the SpaceX Inspiration4 — the world’s first civilian astronaut mission. The 29-year-old will make history as the youngest American — and the first with a false limb — to travel to space.
Hayley’s space dreams began two decades ago, however, the young girl’s dreams were derailed a year later when she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma — a type of bone cancer. Fortunately, the fatal disease had been caught early and the experts at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis were able to reduce its spread through chemotherapy. Arceneaux said she never thought she would be able to go to space. But when the call came “out of the blue” from Jared Isaacman, CEO and founder of Shift4 Payments, asking her if she would like to go to space, she said without hesitation, “Yes, yes, absolutely!”
Isaacman had always intended to go to space. Hence when SpaceX announced the world’s first all-commercial astronaut mission, the 37-year-old billionaire, instantly booked the available four seats. The flying enthusiast announced that he would donate three seats to members of the general public. Hayley, the first crew member to be announced, will represent the pillar (支柱) of “hope” — a nod to her survival of cancer and frontline work as a physician at St. Jude. The remaining passengers, representing the pillars of “generosity” and “prosperity”, will be chosen randomly to raise $200 million for St. Jude, which treats children at no charge.
Before the mission launch later this year, the crew will undergo intense training. The mission, which will orbit Earth every 90 minutes, will be carefully monitored by SpaceX mission control scientists from Earth. Upon the mission’s completion, the Dragon will reenter Earth’s atmosphere for a soft water landing off the coast of Florida.
1. What does the underlined phrase “out of the blue” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Sadly. | B．Suddenly. |
| C．Randomly. | D．Strangely. |
| A．To promote his company’s products |
| B．To seek help for disabled children. |
| C．To inspire interests in space travel. |
| D．To raise funds for a cancer hospital. |
| A．Hayley Arceneaux Became The Youngest American travelling in Space |
| B．“The Sky Is Not Even The Limit” For Jared Isaacman |
| C．Cancer Survivor To Become The Youngest American In Space |
| D．Hayley’s Space Dreams Were Derailed By Osteosarcoma |
