Automated Trucks in Road Freight Logistics: The User Perspective

Abstract

A current topic of high relevance in the transport sector is the automation of driving. Automation affects not only passenger transport, but also freight transport. While industry players are promoting automation to achieve the next level of driver assistance systems as a selling point, policymakers are supporting this innovation in the expectation of reducing congestion, fuel consumption and accidents. Hence, publicly funded projects deal with activities on infrastructure issues, legal aspects, technology development, connectivity aspects, information technology security and data protection. However, the user side of automated driving in freight traffic, the logistics and forwarding companies so far had little involvement in designing the technology and the framework conditions according to their needs. The exclusion of the user perspective can however lead to non-market-oriented solutions. Against this background, the article aims to convey the perspective of potential users of automation technology and to demonstrate the conditions of technology acceptance. The main result of the analysis is clear: The great benefit potential for users will be unleashed if the driver is replaced by the technology, due to the increasing scarcity of drivers, the increasing cost pressure and low margins and, the increasing need for efficient logistics processes, which drives the demand for automated trucks. In the opinion of the logistics industry, it is very unlikely that the driver will take on other tasks while driving for labour force qualification and economic reasons. The novelty of this finding contradicts the current use cases considered by the manufacturing industry: an automated truck with a driver who can follow other activities on the tour. There are signs, that the development of a user-oriented product therefore means the development of a driverless truck.