The Reality of Autonomous Trucking: A Fleet Playbook for the Road Ahead
How Safe Is Safe Enough?
68% fewer crashes. Zero is still the goal. Here's how to want both.
The 85-Cent Mile: Who’s Really Paying for Your Cheap Driverless Freight?
The cheapest mile in trucking is losing somebody a fortune. Take it anyway.
The $600 Handoff: Why I’m Calling a U-Turn on Hub-to-Hub
If you’re still planning your fleet's future around a mid-journey handoff, you’re planning for a $600 per load deficit that will eat your ROI alive.
Night Freight Is Autonomy’s First Real Superpower, and It Changes Everything
Night operations aren’t a feature of autonomous trucking. They’re the first genuine operational advantage that justifies the cost, the complexity, and the hard miles of getting from prototype to scaled fleet.
Who Gets the Ticket When There’s No Driver?
Top seven things cops will ask a driverless truck — and what the truck must answer.
Autonomous Trucking 2025: What Actually Happened
Welcome to 2025 — the year autonomous trucking arrived, and the year that proved technology was the easy part.
Super Cruise and Super Skepticism: Hands-Off Driving from Asheville to Lexington
Super Cruise isn’t the future. It’s a glimpse of what the future might become.
Autonomous Trucking in a Freight Recession: Stress Test or Stop Sign?
When volumes fall and margins tighten, autonomy faces its real-world exam. Can it pay its own way?
Tailgates to Touchdowns: The AV Game Day Playbook
Treat this like your preseason. Because next up isn’t just any game – it’s the FIFA World Cup.
Beyond the Wheel: What Happens to Truckers in the Age of AI?
We’re living through the early stages of an economic transformation, and AI is driving it.
Autonomous Freight Corridors: Time to Stop Dreaming and Start Paving
Autonomous freight corridors don’t require science fiction. They require execution. Build the road for the robot, not the other way around.
AI in the Driver’s Seat: How Artificial Intelligence Is Jackknifing the Old Rules of Trucking
Here’s a look at how AI is impacting the trucking industry today and what is likely for the future.
Why China’s Autonomous Vehicle Push Matters — Part 2
In Part 2 we explore the state of autonomous vehicle deployments in the U.S. and offer suggestions on actions the U.S. should take to level the AV playing field.
Why China’s Autonomous Vehicle Push Matters – Part 1
In Part 1 of this two-part series, we look at some statistics on China’s autonomous vehicle deployments, explore why the U.S. should be concerned with these developments, and separate the reality from the hype.
The Future on Wheels: How the Shape of Trucks Might Evolve with Automation
How Autonomous Trucking Is Transforming Transportation: Potential Use Cases – Part 2
Autonomous trucking is not just a technological innovation — it’s a game-changer for multiple industries.
How Autonomous Trucking Is Transforming Transportation: Potential Use Cases – Part 1
Could autonomous trucks transform goods transport, making supply chains faster and more cost-effective?
The State of Autonomous Trucking in 2025: A Recap of 2024
As we bid farewell to 2024, we should reflect on the past year, celebrating our accomplishments, acknowledging challenges, and learning from our experiences.
Preparing the Future: Educating the Next Generation of Autonomous Driving Engineers
Universities are rapidly evolving their curricula to address the complex needs of autonomous driving engineering.
Autonomous Trucks and Hurricanes: Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities
Hurricane Helene provided an opportunity to reflect on the role of AVs in emergency situations.
Advancing Autonomous Vehicle Technology at High Speeds
The Indy Autonomous Challenge is replacing drivers with cutting-edge AI to pave the way for the next frontier in both motorsports and technology.
The Financial Implications of Autonomous Trucking
The financial implications of autonomous trucking are multifaceted, involving both significant initial investments and potential long-term savings.
Generative AI and Autonomous Trucking
Generative AI will be a game changer in transportation. What about its impact on advancing autonomous trucking?
An Exit Does Not Mean the End
The exit of an autonomous technology company from the U.S. market is not necessarily a bad thing.
At Opposite Ends
A move to ban driverless trucks passes in California at the same time eight states are working together to share information and collaborate on actions surrounding AV development. The different stances speak volumes.
Is Platooning Still in Play?
Truck platooning has gotten a bit lost in the autonomous truck tech shuffle over the past few years. But one developer still believes it’s a viable autonomous tool for commercial fleets.
Crowd-Sourcing Autonomous Information
Autonomous trucks need all the help they can get to navigate on public roads. What if every other vehicle was helping them?
Is it Time to Talk About Autonomous Infrastructure?
Autonomous vehicle developers freely admit their technology currently won’t work everywhere. Is smart infrastructure the answer?
The Hydrogen-Autonomous Intersection
In a sign of things to come, the very first OEM to adopt a major autonomous vehicle control system doesn’t even build diesel trucks.
ZF Calls An Autonomous Audible
In hindsight, it seems obvious. ZF is apparently working on autonomous vehicle control systems that can not only “see” the world, but “hear” it, as well.
The Autonomous Age in Trucking Is About to Begin
A slow, sober and measured introduction to autonomous technology looks to be in the offing.
Autonomous Truck Inspection Procedures Begin to Take Shape
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Administration is beginning to work out real-world solutions that will enable law officers to verify the operational status of autonomous trucks.
Will the 2027 Emissions Regulations Jump-Start Autonomous Technology Adoption by Fleets?
Analysts are predicting that new truck prices will skyrocket by as much as $25,000 per unit. Will that be a game-changer for autonomous truck technology?
A Modest Reward for Early Autonomous Adopters?
Is it time for trucking to start talking about a regulatory break for early-adopter autonomous fleets?
Autonomous Trucks and the Authorities
Autonomous start-up developer Embark says its self-driving trucks can interact safely and reasonably with human law enforcement officers.
Elemental Concerns
To be successful, autonomous trucks will have to overcome Man’s oldest adversary.
Autonomous Field Trials Begin
News reports tell us autonomous truck developers are ready to take their new technology to the fleets for real-world evaluation runs.
A Ride with Plus
At the recent ACT Expo in Long Beach, Jack Roberts sat behind the wheel of a 53’ tractor-trailer to see Plus AI’s autonomous truck technology up close.
Autonomous Trucks: A Personal Perspective
What’s it like to ride in an autonomous truck? Not nearly as revolutionary an experience as you might think.
Study Finds Autonomous Trucking Could Ultimately Impact 94% of Operator Hours on the Road
A new study by the University of Michigan and Carnegie-Melon University says that autonomous trucks will roll out slowly, but eventually impact all aspects of fleet operations.
Shippers’ Influence on New Tech Adoption
Most of the talk regarding autonomous truck technology has predictably centered on the fleet side of the business. But what about shippers? Will they embrace self-driving trucks, as well?
A Cascade of Autonomous Cash
Things are mostly quiet right now on the autonomous truck front. But massive volumes of cash are flowing toward this new technology. And more is coming.
A Helping Human Hand
Autonomous trucks won’t be “fire and forget” assets. They will require a great deal of human interaction and management.
Mission Control
A NASA-like future may await the next generation of truck drivers.
Will Autonomous Trucks be Disposable Trucks?
Autonomous trucks may log as many as three times the mileage that today’s long-haul rigs do. Will there be a secondary market for three-year-old trucks with a million miles on them?
A Driverless Future
Regardless of what you’ve heard, there will be truck drivers for a very long time to come.
A Day at the (Robot) Races
The Indy Autonomous Challenge was a fascinating look at the state of self-driving vehicle technology — but also a reminder about how far there still is to go before autonomous vehicles go to work for the trucking industry.
Will Supply Chain Stresses Supercharge Autonomous Truck Development?
To date, safety and efficiency have been the main drivers of autonomous truck technology. But new supply chain problems may add extra urgency to those efforts.
What’s the Best Powertrain for an Autonomous Truck?
As autonomous trucks come to rely less and less on human drivers, the powertrains that drive them will evolve to reflect new operational realities.
Autonomous Time
Autonomous vehicle technology could transform freight efficiency by an exponential factor.
NACFE’s Three Laws of Autonomous Trucking
The autonomous trucks of the future likely will need some permutation of these laws to guide their decisions in complex daily life and to deal with “edge” scenarios.
Autonomous Partnership to Focus on Uptime
A new strategic partnership between Waymo and Ryder System will focus on an overlooked aspect of autonomous truck operations.
Autonomous Trucks and Law Enforcement
Driverless trucks won’t just stop for fuel and maintenance. There will be times they will need to respond to the directions of law enforcement officers and emergency response personnel. But how?
The Insurance Angle
A prime example of just how disruptive autonomous trucks will be to the logistics status quo can be seen by considering how this technology will affect the insurance industry.
In the Beginning
Autonomous trucks won’t just appear everywhere at once. Their deployment will be measured, studied and tempered by some very harsh operational realities.
Autonomous Trucks from the Shippers’ Perspective
Autonomous technology will not only transform how fleets operate, but it will also offer huge efficiency and productivity boosts for shippers as well.
Autonomous Truckspotting
Seeing your first autonomous truck operating all alone “in the wild” will be a memorable moment.
AVs are ODD
Defining the operation design domain for automated vehicles is crucial.
Is AV an Autonomous or Automated Vehicle?
The difference between automated and autonomy may seem subtle, but this subtlety has preoccupied science fiction writers, futurists and forward thinkers for decades.
Three Ways Autonomous Technology is Progressing Outside of Trucking
Autonomous technology continues to make strides outside of trucking.
Need For Positive Cash Flow Has Changed
Several high-profile mergers and serious investments signal that autonomous truck development is shifting into high gear.
Major Money and Mergers Mark a New Phase of Autonomous Truck R&D
Several high-profile mergers and serious investments signal that autonomous truck development is shifting into high gear.
What About the Drivers?
An autonomous future doesn’t necessarily mean a future without truck drivers.
The Human Imperative
For all the promise autonomous trucks hold, the simple fact is they will rely on human help on multiple fronts to succeed.
Preparing for an Autonomous Future
When autonomous trucks arrive, the learning curve will be steep. But a few easy, preparations today can help make that eventual transition from manned trucks to autonomous ones go a lot smoother.
The Fleet of the Future
Autonomous commercial vehicles will disrupt virtually every aspect of fleet management in the future and require new ways of thinking and new types of employees with new skill sets.
Deep Integration
Autonomous trucks are simply one component series of an all-new, integrated transportation technologies that will transform global logistics.
Autonomous Building Blocks
The introduction of autonomous truck technology will likely happen in a series of carefully measured, manageable technology mini-leaps [or steps].
Autonomous Truck Design
Autonomous technology won’t just transform your business. It will utterly revolutionize modern truck designs, as well.
A Cure for Congestion
I am a bridge embankment. Do not crash into me.
Distribution Yards — An Early Autonomous Test Bed
Volvo, Einride and others are already giving us a glimpse of what an autonomous trucking future may look like.
The Five Forces Driving Disruption in Trucking Today
As with all industries, change is coming to trucking. To understand why, you need to look at the global forces in play.
The Age of Automated Logistics Arises
Autonomous technology in commercial vehicles is coming. Will you be prepared when the first self-driving trucks arrive?
