Premier Trailer Leasing, a customer of FleetLocate by Spireon, recently posted an interesting blog on new fleet technologies entitled, “4 New Fleet Technologies: Game Changers, Life Savers or Heart Breakers?”
The post covers several different technologies, including:
- Driver Assistance/Safety Technology
- Autonomous Vehicles
- Electric Vehicles
- Trailer Technology
This overview includes some interesting points, especially about autonomous vehicles. As the author says, “Krystian Gebis of Autobon AI, which has already tested a modified self-driving Peterbilt on public roads, does not see autonomous technology as a way to completely replace truck drivers. In their system, ‘The driver still has full control,’ Gebis said. ‘We want to make sure the truck isn’t weaving in the lane and it maintains a safe following distance. We are thinking of every possible way we can to make the job more enjoyable for drivers.’”
But as Mary Wisniewski of the Chicago Tribune pointed out, “Since human error is behind more than 90% of fatal wrecks, boosters of autonomous vehicles say their increased use could save lives.” The article further notes that as Futurist Jack Uldrich observed, “Autonomous trucks offer tantalizing cost savings. They will save lives by having fewer crashes and they won’t require sleep, extended breaks, get sick or drive at anything but the optimal level.”
Autonomous trucks and driver shortage
Also, the post says that Wisniewski noted, “If the American Trucking Association’s claims about the industry facing a shortage of 174,000 truckers by 2024 are correct – and assuming the industry can’t continue to raise wages in an effort to attract new drivers in the industry – will trucking companies have any alternative but to transition to autonomous vehicles?”
What do you think about autonomous vehicles? Will your fleet adopt them? Will they help with the driver shortage? Let us know your thoughts via email to [email protected].
Finally, the post also notes that “trailer features and functionality have increased dramatically, and your trailers should now be vital contributors to your value chain,” a sentiment we of course agree with.
We encourage you to read the full post, as it includes some very interesting points about what technology may bring to the industry.
