Self-driving truck hits the road for debut on Ohio Turnpike

A self-driving big rig is rolling down the Ohio Turnpike for the first time.

The debut of the self-driving truck on Thursday is part of Ohio's $15 million investment in advanced self-driving highway technology.

State officials say the turnpike is a good place to start the testing because it's a relatively straight and flat route with wide lane markings.

Turnpike officials say there will be a driver in the truck as a backup during testing.

Ohio is among several states competing to play a role in the testing and research of autonomous vehicles, which is advancing.

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