The trucking industry is going digital. Tools for optimization of routes, self-driving cargo van, and AI solutions are only a few examples of changing the industry into new technology.

Things that expecting from the trucking digital future

These are five things available about the trucking industry that will go to change as the industry undergoes its digital transformation.

  • New technology helps to make trucking companies go green

For both customers and businesses, sustainability is more crucial than ever. Many customers are prepared to pay more for green products. According to research, businesses that invest in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance outperform their competitors. As a result, making trucking more sustainable has a strong business and ethical argument.

Currently, the transportation industry is responsible for roughly 26% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. A major percentage of that figure comes from the transportation business. Electric vehicles combined with automated solutions may be able to assist the industry to minimize its carbon impact. During typical operations, electric vehicles can substantially or completely eliminate emissions. Automation can assist remove waste throughout the process, allowing freight to move more quickly and reducing the number of time drivers spend idling or driving unproductive routes.

Businesses can employ digital management systems to increase the efficiency of their operations. When deploying electric or hybrid vehicles isn’t feasible. This lowers the number of miles driven, and the amount of time spent idling. And the amount of GHG emissions generated by the firm.

Businesses can save money by optimizing their routes.

It can be time-consuming and labor-intensive to plan routes for a transportation job. Furthermore, there’s no guarantee that a worker will be able to figure out the best way on their own. Particularly if time or resource constraints force them to act quickly.

Based on criteria such as delivery start and finish points, speed limits, number of stops, number of deliveries, and driver and facility schedules, route optimization systems use computer algorithms to automatically generate the most effective route for a project.

The technology can assist drivers to get from point A to point B faster by reducing the amount of administrative labor required while planning a new task. This means less petrol is wasted, fewer hours are driven, maintenance expenses are lower, and delivery times are shorter.

Route optimization systems will, for the most part, not necessitate the use of supporting technologies such as IoT data trackers or GPS tracking systems. They may, however, be able to use the data collected by these systems to create more efficient routes.

Self-driving trucks assist the sector in navigating a labor shortage.

Before COVID-19, there was a driver shortage in the transportation business, but the pandemic exacerbated the problem. In January 2022, the United States had an 80,000-driver deficit, which slowed national logistics and reduced the shipment capacity of several trucking companies. Self-driving trucks may be able to assist the sector in addressing the shortfall. To drive autonomously, these vehicles use AI algorithms, cloud computing, and a set of smart sensors.

Several businesses have successfully conducted self-driving truck trials. TuSimple conducted its first driverless truck test by the end of 2021. One of the company’s self-driving trucks completed an 80-mile voyage without assistance. The trip took place between a rail yard in Tucson, Arizona, and a distribution center in Phoenix on surface streets and highways with no human intervention.

When compared to some of the enormous hauls expected of truckers today, the 1-hour and 20-minute travel may not seem like much. The test was, however, a significant step forward for self-driving truck technology. Trucking businesses may begin to deploy self-driving tractor-trailers within the decade, following extensive additional testing.

IoT devices increase supply chain traceability and transparency

Transparency in the supply chain is a hot topic these days. Consumers, merchants, and manufacturers all want to know where their goods come from, how they’re created, and how they’re delivered. Transparency and traceability, on the other hand, can be difficult to achieve.

It’s feasible to collect better data on the flow of commodities and transportation conditions using internet of things (IoT) devices, such as sensors that communicate and receive information over the internet. Trucking businesses can use this information to provide greater information to merchants and consumers regarding cargo conditions and provenance.

Important goods are also monitored using this technology while in transit. Many COVID-19 vaccines, for example, must be kept at extremely low temperatures from the time of manufacture until usage. Temperature fluctuations during shipping can cause vaccinations to deteriorate, resulting in the waste of an important medicinal commodity.

If a cooling system fails, the gadget can send an alarm to drivers. Warehouse personnel, or management, prompting them to take action to prevent the vaccines from spoiling. The same devices may be used to track vaccine locations. Providing logistics businesses and their clients with a better understanding of the vaccine cold chain.

Cyber security has become a necessary investment.

Digital systems, data collection, and cloud computing are all useful technologies, but they can also expose a corporation to cyber-attacks. Hackers are ratcheting up attacks on business networks all across the world, stealing essential data or holding information hostage so the company can’t function without paying a ransom.

In 2021, ransomware assaults hit a lot of trucks and logistics organizations. An even larger number of businesses got targeted, but they avoided being hacked narrowly. Trucking will need to invest in cyber security expertise, training, and technology as it conducts its digital revolution. Everyone in the company, from IT specialists to executives to truck drivers, will almost certainly require some type of security training. Otherwise, social engineering attacks like phishing, which can offer attackers account credentials and network access, may make working vulnerable.

Trucking company cybersecurity personnel will also need to begin exchanging information and best practices with people outside the industry. 

Conclusion

Trucking, like most industries, is currently undergoing a massive digital change. AI, IoT, self-driving vehicles, and the cloud are assisting industry organizations in becoming more productive and utilizing important data.

These technologies have the potential to dramatically transform how the industry moves goods in the near future, allowing for more efficient routes, improved traceability, and lower labor costs.