MADRAS, OR -- Daimler Trucks North America is using cutting-edge technology to try and improve braking and fuel economy in semi trucks. The company is testing the tech at the Daimler test track in Madras.

Paige Jarmer of Daimler says this is the first step in partnering drivers, to enhance efficiency and improve safety within vehicle convoys, "We call it 'pairing,' and what we're doing is testing the possibility of having these two trucks follow each other at a distance that would be much closer than what would be possible under normal circumstances - to cut braking times down to .2 or .3 seconds." She tells KBND News, "Just to put that into perspective, a human's reaction time is more like one or two seconds." Jarmer says the trucks are being tested following each other at a much shorter distance of only 50 feet, much closer than semis follow in real-world conditions.