Technology and automation key players in road transport

 By Colin Windell 

The future of road transport will be defined by technology and automation providing some significant obstyacles can be overcome.

 

Defining future road transport 

Recent research by IRU, the global industry association for road transport, has shown 57% of transport companies in Europe, Asia and the Gulf region view geopolitical uncertainty as the biggest threat to their development.

Technology and automation will define the future of road transport according to the research, but significant obstacles stand in the way and, in the face of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, technology-driven innovation will be key to meeting the challenges of tomorrow in the road transport sector.

The global snapshot survey is based on interview data from 450 transport companies across Europe, the GCC and Asia, and showed more than three quarters (76%) of transport companies surveyed expect autonomous trucks to become a viable option on the roads within the next decade.

Findings reveal transport companies are concerned about macro global issues from escalating international trade wars to growing concerns around Brexit. The risk of global recession and the challenge of keeping up with changing customer demand are jointly seen as the second biggest threats to transport companies at 52%. 

Umberto de Pretto, IRU’s Secretary General, says: “The global transport system touches the lives of each of the planet’s seven billion people, from the food we eat to the consumer goods we buy. So it is perhaps not surprising many of the issues facing society today are also considered by transport companies to be their biggest challenges. These include some of the main themes that dominate the international agenda, including geopolitics, trade and the environment.”

Transport companies recognise developments in technology and innovation will be key to building a safe, successful and sustainable industry in the future.  One in three (33%) transport companies across every region believe improving safety will be the biggest innovation opportunity, while one in five cite automation.

In fact, transport companies are extremely optimistic about the timescales for automation – more than three quarters (76%) of transport companies expect autonomous trucks to become a viable option within the next decade; of these, 29% believe they will be a reality on our roads in the next five years. Transport companies believe the primary benefit of automation will be boosting productivity (50%), followed by helping to cut costs (19%).

Barriers to adopting technology persist – with transport companies citing the major challenges to adopting technology driven innovation as cost and investment (71%), followed by a limited understanding of the range of emerging technologies available (50%). 

This suggests pockets of the industry have yet to embrace new technologies and processes and there is still work to do to fix the digital foundations of the industry before technology-driven innovation can be optimised properly. 

Similarly, while many transport companies believe autonomous trucks are just around the corner, the reality is there is still some way to go before they become a safe, secure and sustainable option on our roads.  

While the technology itself is becoming ever more sophisticated, there is a risk that it will be held back by the lack of necessary investment in infrastructure. 

Boris Blanche, IRU’s Managing Director, adds: “There is no question autonomous trucks will eventually be transformative for the industry – helping boost productivity, create efficiencies and enhance driver working conditions.

“However, drivers will not become obsolete any time in the future, and in fact the industry must continue to encourage more drivers into the profession. Proper and responsible adoption over time is required and we must see full cooperation from all industry stakeholders.”

“For technology to take hold, and for the industry to truly benefit from it, we must ensure we have the foundations in place. This means first getting the basics right, such as full transitioning to digital documentation, improving traceability, security and efficiency.

“We must work harder to join the dots between operators, service providers, manufacturers and governments to nurture a supportive environment for innovation and digitisation. 

“We must also push for legislation and policies that encourage all operators to invest in the technology needed to make these innovations the norm. At IRU, our role is to champion the potential of the industry and promote this cooperation, to empower all operators in the sector to seize the great innovation opportunity,” says De Pretto.