What Will The Future Of Automated Trucking Look Like?

Do you think there will still be places for humans to get into the business? I'm just looking to start trucking and I know it won't be coming too fast for me to make money, and nobody really knows yet but maybe some of you with more knowledge and experience may be able to speculate

It's been discussed plenty Here Here and Here

There's a lot more if you type automated trucks in the search bar. This topic comes up every time a new article comes out claiming next year will the year blah blah blah.

Companies can't even get paperwork right and computers are supposed to make that foolproof. I wouldn't hold my breathe on self driving trucks.

I believe that when we start to see automated spotter units in the big DC's, automated CMV operation is likely to be achieving some level of "not Elon's pipe dream".

The DC's have fewer variables, contolled access for safe operations of driverless units, and consistency of ooerational tasks I didn't, however, sleep in a sleeper berth last night, so my expert status is questionable.

Until my lane departure warning can distinguish between rubber or wet vs dry concrete or a seal and my collision avoidance can determine between a sign and a actual threat I will not be worried.

Until my lane departure warning can distinguish between rubber or wet vs dry concrete or a seal and my collision avoidance can determine between a sign and a actual threat I will not be worried.

This times ten.

I used to believe that automated trucks were around the corner when Elon Musk threw out that pipe dream like 7 or 8 years ago. It honestly turned me away from the industry. Seeing as how lately his automated taxis haven't even come to fruition, and the public doesn't really seem on board with driverless vehicles, I'm deciding to jump into the trucking career despite the threat of automation.

Worst case scenario, if automation becomes ubiquitous in the trucking industry in a decade or two, I'll crawl back into manufacturing.... oh wait, that's also threatened by robots.

In all honesty, it seems a lot of industries are being threatened by automation, which is why universal basic income has been a hot topic. Time will tell but I don't see driverless trucks on the horizon.

If it’s really that much of a concern, maybe look into the several aspects of trucking which will likely never be affected by driverless trucks.

That is a great point Robert. Fuel haulers come to mind. I think bottom line a driver will always have to be present. Same concept as an airplane.

If it’s really that much of a concern, maybe look into the several aspects of trucking which will likely never be affected by driverless trucks.

Fuel, hopper bottom, dry bulk, and dump, walking floor, heavy haul, flatbed in general, farm hauling, livestock, there are hundreds of options where physical work and load requirements as well as locations will never see full automation.