The benefits of self-driving technology for the truck industry are clear. In a business so reliant on efficiency and given the similarity of the majority of long-haul delivery routes, self-driving technology is a natural fit with numerous innovations currently being put forward here as creative minds behind the scenes flex their muscles.
While benefits such as reduced fuel consumption are commonly referenced, the possibility of building a fully autonomous truck may allow for seemingly outlandish solutions as, for example, totally removing the cab itself. While not a viable solution with current technology, this would allow for the creation of a vehicle with a payload capacity greater than any manned vehicle could achieve.
While the work being currently done may not prove to be the final solution for the autonomous truck, it is still allowing the industry to lay a very firm foundation for whichever route proves the right one
This level of automation has benefits for the entire supply chain. With such an unmanned vehicle theoretically not bound by current hours of service restrictions, this creates the potential to slash the cost of delivery. This, combined with other innovations such as platooning, may hold the key for drastically reducing the cost of long-haul and last mile delivery, all while producing a quicker delivery time.
It is also clear that the role of the traditional trucker is changing. With the industry facing the issues created by an ever-ageing driver pool, self-driving could hold the key to bringing new blood into the field, with technologies such as tele-operation and remote-control redefining what it means to be a trucker. Instead of spending days and weeks out on the road, a trucker of the future may be able to command and supervise their vehicle from the luxury of their own office or home.
In a business so reliant on efficiency and given the similarity of the majority of long-haul delivery routes, self-driving technology is a natural fit
Those developing such innovations are of course confident of their future success, although, exactly what the future of the autonomous truck will be is still unclear. With end-to-end autonomy still not within the industry’s grasp, ongoing development is of vital importance. While the work being currently done may not prove to be the final solution for the autonomous truck, it is still allowing the industry to lay a very firm foundation for whichever route proves correct.
Read more about the growing importance of self-driving technology in the truck industry in Automotive World‘s exclusive report on this topic. Follow the link to download a copy of Special report: The path to the autonomous truck.
