Driverless trucks: new report points out need for a managed transition

Governments must consider ways to manage the transition to driverless trucks in order to avoid potential social disruption from job losses, says a new report published by the International Transport Forum (ITF) with three partner organisations.
June 1, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Governments must consider ways to manage the transition to driverless trucks in order to avoid potential social disruption from job losses, says a new report published by the International Transport Forum (ITF) with three partner organisations.

Self-driving trucks will help save costs, lower emissions and make roads safer. They could also address the shortage of professional drivers faced by the road transport industry, the study says.

But automated trucks could reduce the demand for drivers by 50-70 per cent in the US and Europe by 2030, with up to 4.4 million of the projected 6.4 million professional trucking jobs becoming redundant, according to one scenario.

Even if the rise of driverless trucks dissuades newcomers from trucking, over two million drivers in the US and Europe could be directly displaced, according to scenarios examined for the report.

The report makes four recommendations to help manage the transition to driverless road freight. These include the establishment of a transition advisory board to advise on labour issues, along with consideration of a temporary permit system to manage the speed of adoption.

It also recommends setting international standards, road rules and vehicle regulations for self-driving trucks. Pilot projects should also continue with driverless trucks to test vehicles, network technology and communications protocols.

Location Based Systems

Related Content

  • Texans would support toll interoperability
    September 12, 2014
    As transportation industry experts from around the world gather in Austin, Texas for the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s 82nd Annual Meeting and Exhibition, 14-17 September, infrastructure solutions firm HNTB Corporation announces the results of a new America THINKS tolling survey, including the public’s views on tolling in the State. According to the survey, close to three in four (73 per cent) Texans who regularly drive on roads or bridges with tolls are pleased with the value
    Read More
  • Auto industry on cusp of revolutionary change
    August 7, 2012
    The automotive industry appears to be on the cusp of revolutionary change, which will be engendered by the advent of autonomous or ‘self-driving’ vehicles - and the timing may be sooner than you think, according to a new report unveiled by KPMG and the Centre for Automotive Research (CAR).
    Read More
  • Boost to infrastructure, autonomous cars in UK budget
    March 17, 2016
    The UK chancellor announced in his spring budget what he called the biggest investment, US$87.5 billion (£61 billion), in transport infrastructure in generations and is increasing capital investment in the transport network by 50 per cent over this Parliament compared to the last. The government plans to establish the UK as a global centre for excellence in connected and autonomous vehicles by establishing a US$24.1 million (£15 million) ‘connected corridor’ from London to Dover to enable vehicles to com
    Read More
  • Polarisation is glaringly obvious, says Sony
    December 3, 2018
    Glare from the sun is a factor in a large number of road accidents – many of them fatal. But there is a solution at hand: using polarisation can mitigate the effect of glare and improve ITS camera enforcement, explains Stephane Clauss The effect of glare on driver safety has been well documented. A 2013 UK study by the country’s largest driver organisation, the AA, calculated sun glare was a contributing cause in almost 3,000 road accidents in 2012 alone. This represented one in 33 accidents on Britain’s
    Read More

Highlighted Content