Self-Driving Trucks: Are They The Future in Safety and Efficiency?
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The trucking business moves nearly 71% of cargo in the US, an industry experiencing new challenges as technological advancements and self-driving vehicles appear on the scene. In an ideal world, these automated trucks will take over driving on the roads under safe and efficient conditions. Highway accidents and fatalities are expected to be reduced drastically and at the same time, load movement becomes cost-effective. The question remains whether self-driving trucks are safer and efficient in hauling goods from one point to another. How automation of truck driving affects the livelihood of truckers is another issue that needs to be addressed.

Technology and Self-Driving Trucks

There are several key players in the automated truck driving business. Google’s Waymo is now testing self-driving trucks in Atlanta while Uber has already been deploying autonomous vehicles to Arizona. Tesla has Tesla Semi which is an electric-powered truck that features auto pilot capabilities. Embark created an innovative vehicle that is equipped with radars, sensors and cameras with generated data processed by AI to allow it to drive by itself.

Peloton is developing sensors that connect trucks virtually to improve fuel efficiency and safety using the vehicle platooning system. Starsky Robotics, that is creating technology allowing trucks to be driven remotely without a driver present inside the cab.

Safety and Efficiency of Self-Driving Trucks

Fatal crashes involving large trucks increased by 3% in 2016 from 4,074 to 4,213 vehicles according to the FMCSA. These accidents are responsible for the 4,500 deaths that occur each year based on a study by Taylor & Francis. Truck accidents are due to several factors such as driver fatigue, distractions, lane drifting, speed, shifting of cargo, technical failure and poor road conditions. Most of these causes are preventable and can be addressed by ensuring that a vehicle is road worthy. Technology and automation can also improve safety using sensors, cameras, radars and automatic emergency braking to warn drivers if they are distracted, sleeping on the job or making risky maneuvers.

However, Uber’s self-driving car that killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona questioned the capability of computers to deal with anything or the unexpected. In that incident, it was also revealed that the human backup or safety operator was looking down when the crash occurred. Moreover, there’s also the fear that truckers will be out of jobs in the next decades or so when self-driving trucks are sent on the roads. As of now, there is still faith that AI will outdo humans when it comes to safety. Plus, the financial gains are just too good to pass up including fuel efficiency and improved deliveries. Truckers might also be able to spend more time with families when steering trucks remotely without ever leaving town.

There is no doubt that automated technology is exciting. Self-driving trucks can improve safety and increase revenues. But there are still many areas that must be solved from labor displacement and insurance issues to regulations and monitoring. In addition, humans may always be needed to navigate complicated routes such as busy streets or big cities. Self-driving trucks might be here sooner than expected, but they won’t solve every problem on or off the road.

This is a guest post by Cassie Steele.