Moving the Industry Toward Autonomous

By Jessica Smith

When I was growing up, the “future” was thought to be a technologically advanced paradise. It was often dreamt up in movies like Back to the Future with flying cars that could transport you through space and time. It seemed nearly impossible – and at least a few hundred years away. But the future is here. And it’s not slowing down.

In the trucking world, the future is thought to be completely streamlined and automated, driving included. If this was actually achieved, the industry would see maximum levels of efficiency, driver satisfaction, and most importantly, safety. 

So how far away is our reality from that vision? Short answer: closer than we think. Now it’s our turn to adapt to the changes these advancements bring and support its growth. Keep reading to see why autonomous trucking and telematics go together like Michael J Fox and his Calvin Kleins.

Eliminate injury and safety threats

Imagine eliminating human error from the road altogether. That means having the ability to check your Twitter feed and read the Wall Street Journal on your way to work without fearing for your life. Or knowing you can safely fish for your cell phone as it incessantly rings in the depths between your seat and center console. But it also means preventing a significant percentage of car accidents – especially fatal ones. A study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that between 94 and 96 percent of fatal motor vehicle crashes are caused by human error. 

*Enter autonomous trucking and its counterpart, truly smart trailers.*

With autonomous trucking, every turn, speed change, and traffic light decision will be completely calculated with predictive technology. But the truck cannot successfully drive itself if the trailer’s on fire. That’s why understanding the health of your trailer and having full visibility from nose to tail is critical in making autonomous trucking work. 

Skip the inspections

Getting stuck in the drop yard is not only time consuming – it’s also expensive. But with autonomous trucking comes the luxury of understanding your trailer from the inside out. So don’t sweat the inspections, because these technological advancements will confirm the health of all components on your trailer.

Keep your drivers in the seat

Happy driver = Happy fleet. Driver retention is a growing concern in the US and many other countries worldwide. Between getting stuck at the drop yard and experiencing safety issues on the road, these jobs have become more in demand than ever. But with truly smart trailers, fleets can schedule routine maintenance, see the health of its trailers, and analyze trends in the data that could help identify an issue before it occurs. That means an increase in uptime, efficiency, and ROI. 

In case you missed it…

Autonomous trucking has arrived, and it’s here to stay. But to successfully implement something so technologically complex, fleets also need to incorporate supporting technology. That’s where truly smart trailers come in. Phillips Connect gives your fleet total visibility by collecting billions of actionable data points from your trailers, chassis, and containers. Doc’s flux capacitor can’t turn back time for you. So don’t be the last one on the road to make the switch. See what Phillips Connect can do for your operation today. Visit www.phillips-connect.com to learn more.