Autonomous/self-driving vehicles are getting a lot of attention in the logistics industry. They come fully equipped with AI and other advanced technologies, aiding in the safe and efficient transportation of goods.
With the potential positives, however, come technical, regulatory, and legal challenges surrounding this method of transport. There is the continued need to develop and deploy the necessary enginery, and questions arise about the use of autonomous vehicles on public roads.
The use of autonomous vehicles may potentially result in a number of changes, and the speed of adoption will be dependent on a number of factors, such as regulatory approval, consumer confidence, and technological advancement. Overall, the impacts of autonomous driving on logistics could be significant, but further development and regulation are needed before it becomes a reality. The industry will have to juggle the pros and the cons, the yin and the yang.
That being said, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed shippers inform the government if they plan to use these vehicles in interstate commerce. The proposal also includes requirements for remote assistants who monitor autonomous trucks and potential new vehicle inspection and maintenance requirements. The FMCSA is specifically focusing on Level 4 and Level 5 automation, where a human driver is not required, and is not considering regulation for lower-level automation which does require a human driver. The supplemental proposal also questions how federal rules will apply to commercial drivers and remote assistants and whether additional inspection requirements would be appropriate for Level 4 and 5 automated trucks.
Factors to Monitor
Analysts forecast these trucks could create increased efficiency and safety, along with reduced costs to the logistics industry and may also improve the speed and accuracy of deliveries, which they suggest will benefit both businesses and consumers. However, research also suggests the shift to these carriers could have a disruptive impact and result in job losses for human drivers. Additionally, there may be initial costs involved in upgrading existing delivery and transportation systems, which will also affect commerce.
While the development of autonomous driving may offer the potential to address the shortage of truck drivers and make the industry more sustainable while also aiding efficiency, improved safety, optimization of traffic flow, integration with existing logistics processes, and ongoing development to further improve the technology, these potential upgrades and modes of transportation still face many challenges. Forecasters report the technology needs to become more refined and reliable, the European transport network has to be adapted to support autonomous driving, and questions about legal responsibility and the transition from human drivers to autonomous driving systems must still be answered.
Count on the team at TOC to pay close attention to how automated/driverless vehicles will impact the logistics industry. We’ll make sure to keep our customers in the loop and provide as much information as we can. We want to make sure our partners understand how these changes might affect their operations. TOC will stay on top of any developments and reach out if anything comes up that might impact organizations in the future.