The rise of autonomous heavy goods vehicles

The rise of autonomous heavy goods vehicles will fundamentally re-shape the haulage industry. Since the days of horse-drawn power, man has been responsible for ensuring that the goods are transported in a safe and timely manner. The day in which this responsibility is transferred to a machine loom closer. This dramatic change affects nearly all stakeholders within the industry.

The benefits of autonomous heavy goods vehicles (AHGV) to haulage operators will be considerable. Whilst evidence on the effectiveness of AHGVs’ in the UK is limited, a recent report composed by professors at Syracuse University suggest that AHGV’s will be both faster, more fuel efficient and safer. In collaboration with the AHGV developer TuSimple, Syracuse University has suggested that an AHGV will be able to drive from New York to Los Angeles in two days. This same journey had previously taken five days in a regularly manned HGV. Secondly, on-board computers will directly control the engine and use advanced software to determine the most fuel efficient route, speed and driving style. This will save haulage operators considerable amounts on fuel costs. Finally, AGHV’s will be safer than manned HGV’s. Humans require regular breaks to properly function whilst computers can continue to function in the absence of rest and food. In addition, the likelihood of a driving error is considerably lower for an AHGV whose software will have undergone extensive periods of controlled testing and will be supported by a range of cameras and sensors. Ultimately, the use of AHGV’s will allow hauliers to deliver goods faster and more safely than has ever been done previously.

The human cost of the rise of AHGV’s could be catastrophic if the government and private sector do not collaborate to ensure that this cost is reasonably mitigated. As the BBC News have noted in an article on the matter, long-haul HGV driving is not for everyone. Drivers develop specialist skills in a variety of transport roles which, unfortunately, may not be as directly transferable as other industries. As such, the government and private sector must labour to ensure that - ironically - humans are placed at the centre of the rise of AHGV’s. Re-imagined roles could involve drivers re-trained to manage logistics and coordinate with supplies. Additionally, drivers could be re-trained to offer specialist maintenance for complicated automotive and computing systems. Further, roles could involve the supervision of AHGV’s on short haul routes during their period of initial implementation. Inevitably, some drivers may elect to permanently leave the sector rather than retrain. These individuals should be offered the utmost support in finding suitable alternative careers.

As the BBC further noted in an interview with Craig Hoodlees - a HGV driver from Cumbria in the UK - that AHGV’s may not be able autonomously navigate smaller and more complex roads. Given that some small country roads require a significant level of human intuition to navigate, Mr Hoodless may be correct in the interim. AHGV’s could operate seamlessly on long-distance routes, but could struggle on more challenging routes in which obstacles and dangers are abundant. Further, certain operations within the industry - such as the movement of builders goods - require the input of the driver to successfully unload the vehicle at remote destinations. Consequently, a number of manually driven routes will persist up until the point in which AHGV technology is suitably sophisticated.

The rise of AHGV’s will offer considerable benefits for haulage operators. In order to ensure that the human cost of the transition is mitigated, HGV drivers must be given the opportunity to retrain into another role within the sector. Further evidence also suggests that AHGV’s may lack the technology to navigate more complex routes for a considerable period of time.