DRIVING FORWARD WITH AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING

As technology develops, there is no denying autonomous vehicles and trucks will come into play. They’ve already been invented, invested in and are now being tested. The technology exists – it’s a matter of experimentation and implementing the technology without jeopardizing public safety. An article from CNN revealed that in winter of 2016, “a 35-mile stretch of highway” in Columbus, Ohio had been dedicated as a testing area for autonomous trucks.  Autonomous trucking is coming. It’s already in our backyard, but what does that mean for the industry, truck drivers and 3PLs like Kingsgate?

The Industry

Self-driving cars and trucks, as they are being utilized now, will work best for fleets of trucks with specific and regular routes. However, for loads that require multiple stops, pickups and varied routes, autonomous trucking won’t have the flexibility to personalize a route for each customer. At this point, the technology isn’t advanced enough to handle this kind of customization.

Truck Drivers

As they are envisioned now, autonomous trucks will not do away with truck drivers, but repurpose them. Drivers may manage a few trucks behind a computer screen or from the back of a truck tractor.  I think aspects of autonomous trucking will help the looming driver shortage that has been plaguing the industry for years. The role of truck drivers will significantly change as these changes get implemented.

3PL

Regardless of this shift in autonomous trucking, 3PL companies like Kingsgate aren’t going anywhere. Due to the current limitations of technology discussed above, it’s fairly unlikely that autonomous trucking will have a huge impact on the 3PL space. The benefits of 3PL companies lie in their ability to optimize trucking routes for every customer, giving them peace of mind that their freight is managed in the most cost efficient and time effective way possible.

Technology is constantly advancing and will continue to improve. With this, significant industry changes are happening. Within the next 5-10 years, self-driving vehicles will advance and become more prevalent. However, there is a lot of testing and developments that need to be made before they are safe to use widely and can take over, and hopefully improve, aspects of this industry.

All the Best,

Jeff Beckham