Iveco has started testing PlusDrive, its autonomous driver assistance system, on public roads in Germany.

Using AI-based autonomous driving software and advanced sensors including lidars, radars, and cameras, PlusDrive claims to provide drivers with "superhuman" awareness of the vehicle’s surroundings.

The system was developed as part of a partnership between Iveco and autonomous trucking company Plus.

Public road testing will continue in Germany over the next several months and expand to Austria, France, Italy, and Switzerland so that real-world data can be collected from a range of different roadways and driving conditions.

The testing aims to demonstrate that PlusDrive can safely and automatically handle driver-supervised maneuvers, including lane centering, cut-ins, lane merges, driver initiated or system suggested lane changes, traffic jam assist, and nudging.

Marco Liccardo, chief technology & digital officer at Iveco Group, said: “By making trucking safer, easier, and more sustainable, the new generation of powerful AI-based predictive safety technology like PlusDrive can help reduce the risk of accidents, improve fuel economy, enhance driver retention and ease truck driver shortage across Europe. We are excited to enter this next phase of our partnership with Plus, and demonstrate the increasing maturity of our IVECO S-Way with PlusDrive through public road testing and commercial operations.”