Posts

There is a reason people say, ‘the future is now.’ 

 

While self-driving cars often take the spotlight, the development and use of autonomous long-haul trucks have the potential to revolutionize the transportation industry on a global scale.  

 

From increased efficiency and lower operating costs to improved safety and reduced carbon emissions, self-driving trucks promise to be the solution to several ongoing challenges and the driving force bringing the transportation industry into the future.  

 

But are there already self-driving trucks on the road? Should CDL drivers be worrying about losing their jobs to a machine? Keep reading to find out the reality behind self-driving trucks and what they mean for the future of truck drivers around the world.  

 

A Little Background 

The automation of vehicles has come a long way in recent years, starting with the initial introduction of advanced driver assist systems, or ADAS, which includes automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, electronic stability control and adaptive cruise control. 

 

Although most modern trucks now come equipped with ADAS, that is still quite different from the fully autonomous vehicles promised by several prominent technology and transportation companies.  

 

However, companies like EASE Logistics have already decided to take this technology one step further.  

 

In early 2023, it was announced that EASE was the chosen host fleet partner for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and DriveOhio’s Rural Automated Driving Systems (ADS) project. Soon after, drivers on Ohio roadways might have spotted two colorful semi-trucks equipped with AI vehicle-to-vehicle communication, a leader and a follower truck nicknamed ‘Tom’ and ‘Jerry.’  

 

For now, this leader-follower model, also called platooning, is essential to evaluate and perfect the technology. When in platooning mode, the lead driver controls speed, braking, and acceleration, while ‘Tom,’ the staffed and connected follower semi, is programmed to match ‘Jerry’s’ movement exactly.  

 

EASE is part of an impressive list of companies that have been using breakthrough technology to move the industry one step closer to fully automated freight runs.  

 

In December of 2021, innovative company TuSimple made history by becoming the world’s first company to operate a fully autonomous semi-truck on open public roads without a human on board. The truck naturally interacted with other motorists, navigating traffic signals, emergency lanes, on-and-off-ramps, and highway lane changes. 

 

Companies like TuSimple, Tesla, and Waymo are all continuing to test out new models and demonstrate their capabilities in real world scenarios, although none have taken the leap to conduct regular, fully driverless freight runs.  

 

What are the Benefits? 

With the likelihood of future breakthroughs on the horizon, it is important to understand the benefits offered by self-driving trucks.  

 

Increased productivity and efficiency are major benefits most developers point to. Fully autonomous trucks do not have to follow the FMCSA guidelines for regular break times, making runs more time and fuel efficient.  

 

Regulated safety measures have convinced some developers that self-driving trucks would decrease the likelihood of accidents and collisions. Using sensor systems and programmed defensive driving, a computer could detect things earlier and would not become tired or distracted. 

 

Jobs created by the need to continuously develop, program, and test new trucks. In fact, a recent Department of Transportation-funded study estimated that between 26,400 and 35,100 jobs would be created by automating long-haul trucking, while leading to minimal layoffs.  

 

Potential Challenges 

Something as revolutionary as self-driving vehicles cannot come without their own challenges, especially for those fearing this has the potential to disrupt their way of life.  

 

Job displacement is the main concern of truck drivers around the world fearing autonomous vehicles will decrease the need for actual drivers. However, due to the ongoing truck driver shortage and the perpetual need for drivers at the first and last mile stages of pickup and delivery, experts believe layoffs will remain minimal.  

 

Public perception is a large factor standing between innovative breakthroughs and actual real-world application. A recent study by AAA revealed that only 9% of Americans trust self-driving vehicles, while 68% expressed fear about the technology. This distrust is only seeming to grow with more announcements, making it difficult for companies to launch fully self-driving trucks without fearing public backlash.  

 

Looking to the Future 

There is no way to know for sure what will be the future of self-driving trucks, but experts predict that autonomous trucks may arrive sooner than fully autonomous cars, with commercial vehicles potentially operating as early as 2025. 

 

Aurora Innovation, a software company founded in 2017 by former employees of Uber, Tesla, and Waymo, has plans to deploy up to 100 fully autonomous trucks in 2025, while additionally beginning to sell their fleet to other companies.  

 

Although there has been some legislative pushback by labor rights organizations in California, 23 states have already authorized the testing and deployment of driverless vehicles. While public perception remains mostly negative, it could potentially improve as more successful autonomous vehicles continue to launch.  

 

For over a century, the transportation industry has been essential to the global economy and way of life. Today, companies from around the world are pushing boundaries to expand the scope, efficiency, and safety of this important field with the development of fully automated trucks.  

 

For more information on the future of trucking and to find out about exciting developments in the industry, be sure to check out more posts on our blog and follow us on social media! 

self driving trucks

The world of technology innovations continues to move forward. New advancements are being made every day. The development and progress being made with autonomous, or self-driving vehicles, is no exception. Though similar, there are going to be very different applications for self-driving trucks vs. self-driving cars. So here we’re going to look at what’s on the horizon for self-driving trucks.

The landscape is full of potential and new companies looking to get involved. Several of the biggest brands in the world are working to hone this technology to improve trucking efficiency, and ultimately make the roads a safer place for all drivers. Google, Tesla, and Daimler to name a few. Google has been testing self-driving cars since 2011, and their Waymo trucks since 2017. There is evidence that Amazon has been testing deliveries since early 2019. In May 2019, the US Postal Service tested self-driving trucks running loads between Phoenix and Dallas for 2 weeks. Just last month, a Florida based robotics company sent their first truck onto the interstate for 10 miles via remote control.

Truck platooning is a great application of self-driving technology

Platooning has already been tested for a few years.

By using a lead truck with an actual driver, several self-driving trucks follow closely behind, creating less congestion for other vehicles on the road. Since all of the trucks brake and accelerate in complete unison with the lead driver, helping overall traffic flow and delivery times.

Some might jump to a conclusion that self-driving trucks are going to put current CDL truck drivers out of a job. But this is simply not true. This technology is still very new and needs significant vetting. Presently, most self-driving programs have a driver controlling the wheel, but the computers are controlling everything else. And even when trucks move to being fully unmanned on long highway stretches, drivers still will jump-in and take over in more congested areas.

There’s a lot of potential in the future of this technology. Many companies are making great strides in testing and bringing self-driving trucks to daily life.

But there’s still a lot of work to be done

And some companies once committed to it, have already gotten out of the game. Uber had committed but now is reallocating resources to autonomous car technology and development.

If you have any thoughts on what impact self-driving trucks are going to the overall trucking industry, drop a comment on our Facebook page.

drive my way facebook

Never Miss a Beat

Connect with us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on industry updates and CDL jobs near you.

Join the Conversation