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NACFE’s Autonomous Trucking Blog Series

Developments in autonomous trucking are happening on what seems like a daily basis. This series of blogs looks at a variety of aspects of autonomous trucking, including changes to heavy-duty trucks, infrastructure changes needed to make AVs possible, the human aspect of AVs, how AVs will interact with law enforcement, the benefits of moving to AVs and the challenges the trucking industry faces as it moves toward a more autonomous future.

Autonomous Trucking Blog

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 AI

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?