The Impacts of Autonomous Vehicles on Logistics
Many experts are saying that we could be sharing the road with autonomous vehicles sooner than was previously anticipated. These driverless automobiles will revolutionize the personal transportation industry, and they will also drastically reshape the shipping world. Logistics companies with advanced freight management systems are already beginning to experiment with autonomous vehicle technology, and are exploring how these amazing new innovations will impact the logistics industry.
Current autonomous uses in logistics
While fully driverless trucks are still several years away from hitting the roads, it may come as a surprise to some people that autonomous vehicles are already used extensively in many modern warehouses. Driverless forklifts and robotic arms are frequently used today. If your business employs a logistics company in Aurora, CO to handle your freight delivery needs, you may already be relying on autonomous technology.
In order to make these advanced machines work, a large amount of centralized computing is required to interpret sensor data and send signals to the vehicles and robots.
In the near future, these technologies will be scaled up to full-sized, road-worthy trucks. These driverless trucks will make the roads safer for other drivers, and will substantially reduce shipping costs.
The arrival of autonomous trucks
The first operable autonomous truck prototypes are expected to be delivered by Mercedes-Benz as soon as 2025. These devices will still require a driver to be present in the cabin, but will allow them to perform other tasks while the vehicle operates itself. Mercedes-Benz says that these early autonomous trucks will make freight logistics more environmentally friendly, safer and more cost-effective.
Most driverless vehicle manufacturers assert that their inventions will make the roads safer for everyone, and that they will revolutionize the shipping industry so that it has a smaller impact on the environment and reduces consumer costs.
Today, internet-enabled devices in trucks allow logistics companies to provide safer and more reliable equipment hauling services. For instance, back offices can view detailed engine diagnostic data from thousands of miles away, and can provide truckers with alternative traffic-avoiding routes in real time.
The future of autonomous development
Now that the largest technological breakthroughs have already been made, autonomous development will continue to chug along for the foreseeable future, becoming more and more advanced with each passing year, eventually moving into heavy equipment transportation.
While a complete autonomous takeover of the shipping industry is likely more than 50 years away, the roles of truck drivers will likely be shifting substantially within the next decade.
Investments from logistics companies in this important technology are helping to accelerate autonomous vehicle development. Driverless trucks will make logistics coordination substantially easier, more cost-effective and more ecologically conscious. Both logistics companies and businesses that utilize logistics services are excited to see the development of autonomous vehicles continue.
Since 2001, Osage Specialized Transport has been one of the premier logistics companies in North America. We provide a range of high-quality transportation services, and can help businesses both small and large to navigate a myriad of challenges related to logistics in Aurora, Co and beyond. To learn more about how we can assist your business maneuver the rapidly-changing transportation industry, reach out to one of our helpful logistics professionals today!
