The only difference between the Freightliner Inspiration and other autonomous vehicles is its size. In all other aspects it works based on the same principles, using the same systems to stay on the road.
CNET got aboard one of these early prototype trucks and had a company rep go over what it does and how it does it.
This kind of self-driving tech is clearly more beneficial for the transportation industry, and not just in the US, but all around the world. It would perhaps be even more useful in, say, Australia where they have trains of road trains passing through endless miles of desert.
It would certainly ease the load on drivers and aside from using the systems to detect and mitigate crashes, it would also have the benefit of allowing them to relax and not maintain concentration for hours on end.