(Newswire.net — July 28, 2020) — With such a significant focus on self-driving cars, many people fail to realize that trucks are also vehicles capable of carrying remote operation equipment. Autoblog mentions a new technology that allows truck drivers to operate driving rigs remotely. It may be a while before we actually have self-driving trucks, but having them remotely-operated is a real possibility. This innovation comes at a crucial moment in the trucking industry. Remote operation of tractor-trailer rigs could be the change the industry needs to experience to grow into a better, more efficient system.
The Looming Shortage of Manpower
It may come as a surprise to some, but trucking isn’t as popular a profession as it once was. According to Freight Waves, the American Trucking Association estimates that by 2026, the number of open jobs in the trucking industry may hit 175,000. This revelation isn’t overly surprising, given the demanding nature of the job. Most truckers aren’t fans of traveling across multiple states, hauling cargo. Driving is also dangerous, and companies don’t provide tractor-trailer accident lawyers in the event of a collision. Addressing this coming shortage of workers is among the trucking industry’s biggest hurdles.
Remote Operation To the Rescue
Several startups have already cropped up, offering services to trucking companies to install remote operation hardware and software. Venture Beat mentions that Starsky Robotics successfully managed to drive a truck remotely down 9.4 miles of Florida highway with no incidents. The innovation suggests that we are very far along the road to having vehicles that drivers can operate remotely. The benefit is that drivers don’t have to undergo the stress of being on the road. Their interpersonal relationships won’t suffer, and they can still keep doing the job they love while working out of their own hometown. The system does have a significant drawback because it relies on uninterrupted 5G coverage across the region that the trucks are passing to maintain the driver’s control. In remote areas or places with inadequate signal coverage, that could be a deal-breaker.
What About Self-Driving Trucks?
Remote driving is the first step on the road to entirely autonomous trucks. Even so, we’ll likely see autonomous trucks long before we start seeing the same technology in cars. It’s not that these vehicles are more straightforward to develop autonomous control for, but that they’re the perfect ground for experimentation. At the moment, the remote operation of trucks is the best we can hope for.
Don’t Be Afraid
The next time you look up as you pass a truck and don’t see anyone driving, don’t worry about it. It’ll probably be another one of those remotely operated trucks. The hope is that these remote operation techniques will make the industry more attractive to new workers. As new workers join the industry, companies may manage to stave off the massive number of unfilled jobs that are just over the horizon. Many other companies offer work-from-home opportunities, and trucking might be the latest one to do the same.