The Future Of Autonomous Trucking
We are entering a new era. Autonomation is something that is going to happen at an accelerating pace in the next couple decades.
At present, the talking point is that we have a worker shortage. This is causing companies to turn to automation as a solution. The situation due to the lockdowns over COVID seemed only to push this into overdrive.
One of the areas we are seeing a lot of research is with trucking. The industry is suffering from a lack of drivers as the Boomers get older. Millennials are not entering the industry at the same frequency as previous generations.
Automation is the answer and in this article we will cover how it is going to be undertaken.
Short Spurts
We are not going to see the technology replace all drivers instantly. Like most things, it is evolutionary in nature. At the same time, regulation needs to be dealt with slowing the process.
That said, there are aspects which are about to go live. We should not overlook how monumental this is. What is happening is only the beginning.
The easiest place to start to automate the trucking industry is in short-spurt routes. These are one that are done each night, hence repetitive in nature. One of the biggest advantages of automation is that it can handle repetitive tasks very well. That is the idea behind this first iteration of innovation.
Companies like Budweiser or Walmart regularly run trucks from main locations to distribution centers. Obviously, the routes are always the same. By running multiple trucks throughout the night we see the cargo arrives where it needs to.
With this technology, the idea is to caravan the trucks. This allows for one truck to have 8 or 10 following behind. The convoy simply follows the same path back and forth, night after night.
For now, we can see how the technology has time to improve. By focusing upon the repetitive routes, the software will be able to evolve as more areas are added. At the same time, running at night means less traffic. They are also focusing upon areas where the weather is warmer, avoiding snow and ice, at least in the beginning.
Arizona
Autonomous trucking company TuSimple just ran a truck over an 80 mile route without any human intervention.
A semitruck completed an 80-mile route in Arizona with no human on board and no human intervention during the trip using technology developed by TuSimple, the company said Wednesday.
The trip was a success, showing how close we are to seeing this technology implemented. It is likely this expands in the next year or two, resulting in it becoming a regularity in some states.
A lead vehicle scouted the route for unexpected obstacles about five miles ahead of the autonomous semi, and a trailing vehicle following about one-half mile behind the truck was prepared to intervene if necessary, along with several unmarked police vehicles. TuSimple said the semi successfully navigated highway lane changes, traffic signals, on-ramps and off-ramps while “naturally interacting with other motorists.”
It obviously is more difficult to navigate a semi through city streets and in heavy traffic. Hence why many in the industry feel that long-haul trucking is going to be the first aspect to get converted. When trucks are following a similar path, even if it is across multiple states, along major highways, the technology can easily adapt to that.
The question is how well it will do interacting with other motorists, many whom do unpredictable things. That is what the regulators are also looking at.
For now, the technology is excelling to the point where autonomous trucking is possible, even if limited in scope.
This will likely change rapidly. Software systems of this nature have the ability to advance quickly. As more of these runs take place, the system ingests even more data. This is processed and used to train the software even further.
Obviously, this is still a long way from AGI or anything like that. Nevertheless, it is likely a solution we will see with regularity by the middle of this decade. Many states are likely to pass legislation that allows for this type of set up.
It is fascinating how fast things are changing.
What are your thoughts? Do you see this as a possible solution to the driver issues we are facing in the trucking industry?
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