Here’s an exercise in future think: You know what can happen now at a roadside inspection of one of your trucks. But what might happen in the perhaps-not-so-distant future at one of those routine occurrences when your truck is highly or fully automated? And how might a truly “driverless” truck be inspected at an accident scene?
Industry Trends & Drivers
Whether Leasing or Owning, There is No Benefit to Deferring Maintenance
In both leasing and ownership, if everyone takes pride in the asset, it is going to operate far better than if you just defer maintenance and fool yourself into thinking you are saving money by doing so.
Closer Look: Great Dane, Aurora Parts Target Uptime
Trailer manufacturer and aftermarket distributor join forces, integrate technologies, to keep the freight moving.
Forecast of Fleet Maintenance Trends in 2021
The forecast of the cost of maintenance and unscheduled repair is anticipated to go up in CY-2021.
Electrification Coalition, Nestlé Partner to Electrify Freight
New collaboration through the EC’s Freight and Goods Delivery Electrification Project will demonstrate a scalable transition to electric trucks.
How Fleets are Tackling Electrification and Automation
Understanding how trucking is using electric and automated vehicles today can help predict how the industry will use them in the future.
Uptick in Mobile Maintenance in 2020
One trend that is gaining momentum among commercial fleets during the pandemic is the use of mobile maintenance vendors.
Einride’s Driverless, Cabless Electric Trucks Hit the Mass Market
Fresh off a $10 million raise, Swedish trucking technology startup Einride has put its autonomous electric trucks on the global market. Until now, the vehicles, known as “Pods,” had been deployed only in pilot projects. They can be reserved by customers in the U.S. and abroad.
Automated Trucks: The Good, The Bad and The Timeline
Autonomous trucks promise a remedy to problems such as the driver shortage and safety, but the path to adoption presents challenges.
Scania Tests Truck Trailers Covered with Solar Panels for Fuel Saving
Volkswagen owned truck manufacturer Scania is betting on solar energy to reduce fuel consumption in its trucks. The company is testing a concept of a solar cell clad trailer to power a plug-in hybrid truck.
Locomation Working with Nvidia on Human-Guided Autonomous Truck Convoys
Locomation announced it will leverage an autonomous vehicle computing platform from Nvidia for the commercialization of self-driving trucks starting in 2022.
ATA Projects Long-Term Freight Growth
Despite contractions in 2020, ATA projects that the long-term trend for trucking, as well as for the overall freight economy, is positive.