Skip to main content

New research identifies impact of autonomous vehicles on trucking industry

A new report from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) identifies the potential impacts of autonomous vehicle technology on the trucking industry, which include significant safety and productivity benefits that may result from autonomous technology adoption. The analysis mapped potential autonomous vehicle impacts to the trucking industry's top ten issues as surveyed annually by ATRI. From hours-of-service to the driver shortage to driver health and wellness, benefits and challenges to co
November 16, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A new report from the 5478 American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) identifies the potential impacts of autonomous vehicle technology on the trucking industry, which include significant safety and productivity benefits that may result from autonomous technology adoption.  

The analysis mapped potential autonomous vehicle impacts to the trucking industry's top ten issues as surveyed annually by ATRI.  From hours-of-service to the driver shortage to driver health and wellness, benefits and challenges to commercial drivers and motor carriers were identified across the top ten issues.  For instance, ATRI identified numerous changes to the hours-of-service regulations and the ELD mandate that would allow commercial drivers to improve safety and productivity through autonomous vehicle operation.  

These improvements, however, will require federal leadership and significant input from the trucking industry.  ATRI's research also documents a number of potential public sector impediments to autonomous truck deployment including poor infrastructure quality, uncertainties related to tort law, and the possible need for federal pre-emption.

"ATRI's research underscores how critical it is that the trucking industry has a seat at the table as autonomous vehicle issues are debated," said Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations. "These impacts will be real and have significant consequences for the entire supply chain if they are not deliberately and thoughtfully approached with input from all stakeholders.  Now is the time to make sure that autonomous vehicle technology is a win-win for the economy."

Related Content

  • July 15, 2025
    Platooning with Ease on the I-70
    What would happen to truck platooning - a nascent technology - if the weather turns nasty? The I-70 Truck Automation Corridor Project in the northern US should provide some answers, reports David Arminas…
  • October 15, 2021
    We need to talk about AVs
    Will driverless vehicles lead to more deaths and destroy more lives than their manual counterparts? Transport writer Colin Sowman argues that they will
  • July 24, 2012
    In-vehicle safety standard released for consultation
    The new ISO 26262 standard for safety-related vehicle systems is now available for comment. MIRA's David Ward talks to ITS International about what the standard will mean for vehicle and road safety in the future. The publication on 8 July this year of ISO 26262 as a Draft International Standard (DIS) marks an important progression for the automotive - and, in time, the cooperative infrastructure - industries. A couple of years from now, automotive OEMs will be able to subscribe to a unifying standard for s
  • December 11, 2013
    Study looks at air quality impacts of low carbon buses
    A new report prepared by Ricardo for the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) to review the air quality impacts arising from the recent rapid increase in the number of low carbon buses in the UK recommends that the legislation needs to consider hybrid technology impacts in the test processes to avoid potential unintended consequences in terms of local emissions. As they mainly operate in urban areas, local emissions from buses are of particular significance. Reviewing worldwide test processes for