Embark Completes Successful Public Demonstration of Emergency Vehicle Interaction Capability with Texas Law Enforcement Agencies

Rhea-AI Summary

Embark Trucks, a leader in autonomous technology, has successfully demonstrated its emergency vehicle interaction capability in collaboration with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. This groundbreaking event marked the first time an autonomous truck was pulled over by law enforcement on public highways, bringing Embark closer to commercial deployment. With this milestone, Embark has now achieved 12 out of the 16 technical capabilities needed for autonomous trucks in the US Sunbelt, showcasing significant advancements in safety and compliance with law enforcement protocols.

Positive

• Completion of industry-first demonstration for emergency vehicle interaction capability.
• Achieved 12 out of 16 technical milestones necessary for commercial deployment.
• Collaboration with Texas authorities enhances credibility and safety protocols.

Negative

• None.

–Company collaborates with Texas Department of Public Safety and Travis County Sheriff’s Office to simulate real-world scenarios on Texas public highways
–Successful demonstration is an industry-first, marking completion of next milestone on Embark capabilities roadmap and bringing the Embark Driver closer to commercialization

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Embark Trucks, Inc. (Nasdaq: EMBK, “Embark”), a leading developer of autonomous technology for the trucking industry, today announced the completion of a public demonstration of its emergency vehicle interaction capability. Working closely with the Texas Department of Public Safety (“Texas DPS”) and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office (“TCSO”), Embark developed the capability for Embark-powered trucks to identify and stop for law enforcement vehicles in situations such as traffic stops, and built communication protocols and standard operating procedures between autonomous trucks and law enforcement officers. This represents the first-ever public demonstration of an autonomous truck being pulled over by law enforcement and participating in a routine traffic stop on a public highway. A video of the capability in action can be viewed on Embark’s YouTube channel here.

On Embark’s technical capabilities roadmap (see attached graphic), which details the 16 capabilities required to commercially deploy autonomous trucks in the US Sunbelt, the emergency vehicle interaction capability represents the next milestone achieved by the company. With the completion of this successful public demonstration, Embark has now achieved 12 technical milestones on its roadmap, marking another major step towards commercial deployment of its technology.

“The ability to engage safely in emergency vehicle interactions is necessary to operate an autonomous vehicle on public roads,” said Emily Warren, Head of Public Policy at Embark Trucks. “Law enforcement always needs to be able to stop a commercial vehicle – autonomous or not – to ensure compliance with the law. This capability was designed to work seamlessly within existing law enforcement workflows, without requiring new training or technology investment by first responders.”

Embark’s emergency vehicle interaction capability is an engineering breakthrough for autonomous trucking with two key components:

• First, Embark’s engineering team built the technical functionality for the capability. This included training Embark-powered trucks to identify emergency vehicles via lights and other cues, and then respond accordingly by pulling over safely onto highway shoulders.
• Second, Embark developed an interaction procedure with input from law enforcement that can enable any law enforcement officer to safely stop, approach, and receive information from an autonomous truck intuitively and without any additional equipment. When commercially deployed, this effort may include outfitting Embark trucks with clear visual cues and information to signal to law enforcement and other first responders that an Embark-powered truck is an autonomous vehicle and has come to a safe stop with no risk of restarting unexpectedly. Embark’s externally accessible lockbox, containing information such as registration and bills of lading, as well as a toll-free number to contact an Embark Guardian support technician, are also included in the company’s plans to assist law enforcement officers as they perform roadside traffic stops.

Together, these features represent a comprehensive process for Embark-powered trucks to comply with law enforcement requests, just like a human-driven truck would respond in similar situations.

To develop this capability, Embark, TCSO, and Texas DPS executed comprehensive data collection and testing from April to June that included closed-course activity at the Texas A&M University RELLIS Campus test track as well as public road demonstrations. During Embark’s industry-first demonstration, which took place in late June on Texas State Highway 130 near Austin, deputies from the TCSO’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division followed an Embark-powered truck along a designated route and successfully completed a traffic stop of the Embark truck. A deputy was able to confirm the truck was safe to approach via an external status display on the side of the truck, then walked through the procedure of accessing the truck’s documentation via an external lockbox, using a code that would be provided by a remote Embark Guardian support technician. The demonstration concluded after the deputy completed his traffic stop and followed the truck as it re-entered highway traffic. Embark published a white paper detailing this procedure and how it can be replicated in other jurisdictions. A link to the white paper is available here.

About Embark
Embark Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: EMBK) is an autonomous vehicle company building the software powering autonomous trucks, focused on improving the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the nearly $730 billion a year trucking market. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA since its founding in 2016, Embark is America’s longest-running self-driving truck program and partners with some of the largest shippers and carriers in the nation.

Embark’s mission is to realize a world where consumers pay less for the things they need, drivers stay close to the homes they cherish, and roads are safer for the people we love. To learn more about Embark, visit embarktrucks.com.

Contacts For Embark:
Media:
Misha Rindisbacher, press@embarktrucks.com

Investor Relations:
Bill Ong, investorrelations@embarktrucks.com

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e4235a5d-8a33-4222-be2d-12ed5c0c4624

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dd5f9e53-f4d7-4223-9c95-2709992fe6d9
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/273fad40-80fd-4d4a-a0e6-d1e36b475f9a
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/28813100-9eda-4117-bf99-441ddbfcc473
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f8e647aa-e949-4db6-8829-283fa2b2f00f
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f24e5332-a612-4b34-a63a-df1a2d14b541
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b0e46af1-1138-424f-8153-1c17d120a3e1
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f0075a9-b009-433b-b98c-d2a20debed26
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eae26fb8-244d-4d79-aee8-e4bcbe29babc
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f0a4c912-9307-465b-9a8e-5e8ea4a85b63

FAQ

What is the significance of Embark's recent demonstration on August 4, 2022?

Embark demonstrated its emergency vehicle interaction capability, marking the first time an autonomous truck was pulled over by law enforcement, which is vital for commercial deployment.

How many technical milestones has Embark achieved as of August 2022?

As of August 2022, Embark has achieved 12 out of the 16 technical milestones required for deploying autonomous trucks.

What collaboration did Embark enter into for its recent demonstration?

Embark collaborated with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office to test emergency vehicle interactions.

Why is the emergency vehicle interaction capability important for Embark?

This capability ensures that autonomous trucks can safely interact with law enforcement, which is essential for compliance and operational safety on public roads.

What is the future goal for Embark Trucks after this demonstration?

Embark aims to achieve full commercialization of its autonomous trucking technology, building upon the successful demonstration.