• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Your Membership
    • Edit Your Profile
  • Services
    • Advertising
    • Case studies
    • Design
    • Email marketing
    • Lead generation
    • Magazine
    • Press releases
    • Publishing
    • Sponsored posts
    • Webcasting
    • Webinars
    • White papers
    • Writing
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Cart
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Terms of use
  • Events

Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

  • News
  • Features
  • Sections A-Z
    • Agriculture
    • Aircraft
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Automation
    • Autonomous vehicles
    • Business
    • Computing
    • Construction
    • Design
    • Drones
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Engineering
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Humanoids
    • Industrial robots
    • Industry
    • Infrastructure
    • Investments
    • Logistics
    • Manufacturing
    • Marine
    • Material handling
    • Materials
    • Mining
    • Promoted
    • Research
    • Robotics
    • Science
    • Sensors
    • Service robots
    • Software
    • Space
    • Technology
    • Transportation
    • Warehouse robots
    • Wearables
  • Video
  • Webinars
  • White papers
  • Press releases
  • Featured companies
    • AMD Xilinx
    • BlueBotics
    • Elite Robot
    • RGo Robotics
    • SICK Sensor Intelligence
    • Vicor Power

Autonomous trucks make the ‘most compelling case’ for automation in commercial vehicles, says report

September 5, 2022 by Mark Allinson Leave a Comment

Autonomous trucks make “the most compelling case for automation in commercial vehicles”, according to a new report.

The new IDTechEx study, Heavy-Duty Autonomous Vehicles 2023-2043: Trucks, Buses & Roboshuttles, has found significant activity in the autonomous heavy-duty and commercial vehicle space.

Today, there are hundreds of vehicles around the globe in various stages of trialing, piloting, and even some companies teetering on the precipice of fully unmanned commercial deployment. Each industry has unique strengths and challenges, here are some key findings from the report.

Roboshuttles

Roboshuttles are a new and exciting form of transport that are rapidly becoming less new. Leaders in the field, EasyMile and Navya have been in the game since 2014 and have accumulated around two-thirds of all roboshuttle sales between them.

But their sales in recent years have been dwindling. IDTechEx has observed many small trials of roboshuttles with less than five vehicles being tested by the public on very restricted routes.

There have been some bigger deployments, but it seems that the industry is getting stuck at converting these larger pilots to commercial trials. Despite this, there have been recent pushes from China, with Yutong deploying a large fleet of vehicles for trials this year (2022).

The IDTechEx report considers some of the biggest stumbling blocks for roboshuttles and evaluates when these may be overcome and how the market will grow afterward.

Autonomous buses

Perhaps buses sound a little more mundane than roboshuttles since they are not promising to revolutionize public transport, but their more evolutionary approach is more achievable and more deployable in the short term.

The advantage that buses have over roboshuttles is that the driver and conventional controls can remain in the vehicle while technologies are trialed.

Both roboshuttles and buses will be forced to operate near pedestrians, a non-trivial challenge for an autonomous system and requiring human supervision for many years to come. Despite this, level 4 autonomy can bring benefits to buses today.

The autonomy level will improve bus safety, and deployments in special-use scenarios such as in bus depots, airside airport buses, and minibuses operating on controlled access campuses could be accomplished in the next few years.

The big challenge for autonomous buses is simply the size of the industry now. Of the three heavy-duty sectors covered in the research, autonomous buses have the fewest vehicles on the road, with a total fleet size in the low tens, compared to the mid-hundreds for both roboshuttles and autonomous trucks.

Autonomous trucks

Out of roboshuttles, autonomous buses, and autonomous trucks, IDTechEx thinks that trucks make the most compelling case for automation, here is why. There is a measurable need for truckers, with shortages in China, the US, and Europe.

This once popular profession is starting to sour, younger generations are finding the long hours on the road and separation from family less preferable and are opting for work closer to home.

The average age of truck drivers is increasing, and the industry is heading toward crisis as demand for haulage soars and driver populations plummet. But, this is irrelevant if the task of automating is unachievable.

Thankfully, autonomous trucks also have a realistic operational design domain that can be accomplished with today’s technology. Companies like TuSimple, Waymo, and Inceptio are already demonstrating high levels of readiness and getting tantalizingly close to commercial ‘driver-out’ missions.

So, the demand for autonomous trucks already exists, the technical challenge is more achievable than other autonomous environments, and the technology is almost ready.

This is what makes autonomous trucks “such an exciting prospect” and why it won’t be long before they start delivering the goods, according to IDTechEx.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Skype
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Pocket

You might also like…

Filed Under: Autonomous vehicles, Features Tagged With: autonomous, buses, commercial, idtechex, industry, report, roboshuttles, trucks, vehicles

Join the Robotics & Automation News community

Reader Interactions

You must log in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest articles

  • Choosing the Best Magento Ecommerce Development Company: A Guide to Success
  • How to Promote Your Homemade Food Business Online
  • 3 Best Site to Buy Instagram Followers UK (Real & Cheap)
  • Email Marketing Automation with Retainly
  • Top 10 Amazing Tips to Transport Your Car in 2023
  • Maximizing Profit on Amazon: Utilizing the Amazon FBA Calculator and Analyzing Price History
  • North America Becomes the Fastest-Growing Regional Market for New Battery Facilities in 2022
  • The Ultimate Guide to Artist Alley: Con Prep and the Magic of Acrylic and Custom Keychains
  • Choosing a Robotic Spindle for Deburring
  • The Future of Modern Application Development with .NET

Most Read

  • Snapchat Plus Planet Order 2023 Explained
    Snapchat Plus Planet Order 2023 Explained
  • Why is Money Important in Our Lives?
    Why is Money Important in Our Lives?
  • Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
    Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
  • How to Track a Phone Number on Google Maps
    How to Track a Phone Number on Google Maps
  • Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
    Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
  • Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
    Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
  • The Future of Personal Computers: What to Expect in the Next Decade
    The Future of Personal Computers: What to Expect in the Next Decade
  • Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
    Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
  • What You Need to Know About Fixing an Engine Misfire
    What You Need to Know About Fixing an Engine Misfire
  • Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers
    Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers

Overused words

ai applications automated automation automotive autonomous business companies company control customers data design development digital electric global industrial industry logistics machine manufacturing market mobile operations platform process production robot robotic robotics robots safety software solution solutions system systems technologies technology time vehicle vehicles warehouse work

Secondary Sidebar

Latest news

  • Choosing the Best Magento Ecommerce Development Company: A Guide to Success
  • How to Promote Your Homemade Food Business Online
  • 3 Best Site to Buy Instagram Followers UK (Real & Cheap)
  • Email Marketing Automation with Retainly
  • Top 10 Amazing Tips to Transport Your Car in 2023
  • Maximizing Profit on Amazon: Utilizing the Amazon FBA Calculator and Analyzing Price History
  • North America Becomes the Fastest-Growing Regional Market for New Battery Facilities in 2022
  • The Ultimate Guide to Artist Alley: Con Prep and the Magic of Acrylic and Custom Keychains
  • Choosing a Robotic Spindle for Deburring
  • The Future of Modern Application Development with .NET

Footer

We are…

Robotics and Automation News was established in May, 2015, and is now one of the most widely-read websites in its category.

Please consider supporting us by becoming a paying subscriber, or through advertising and sponsorships, or by purchasing products and services through our shop – or a combination of all of the above.

Thank you.

Independent

Archivists

September 2022
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« Aug   Oct »

Complex

Old-skool

This website and its associated magazine, and weekly newsletter, are all produced by a small team of experienced journalists and media professionals.

If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact us at any of the email addresses on our contact page.

We’d be happy to hear from you, and will always reply as soon as possible.

Future-facing

Free, fair and legal

We support the principles of net neutrality and equal opportunities.

Member of The Internet Defense League

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT