Are self-driving trucks the future for deliveries?

Last month a self-driving truck shipped a commercial cargo of Budweiser beer more than 190 km across Colorado in the US. This was the first time in history that a self-driving vehicle has shipped commercial cargo. But is this the near future for deliveries?

Probably not.

Firstly, a professional truck driver was in the vehicle for the entire route, monitoring the delivery from the sleeper berth as the truck completed the route. Hardly a satisfactory way to reduce staffing costs.

Secondly, the truck was only self-driving on the interstate highway — for all the wriggly bits getting to and from the I-25 there was a driver in control.

Otto and Anheuser-Busch, with support from the State of Colorado, have a shared vision of improved safety and efficiency. They believe self-driving will:

• reduce the number of highway fatalities (nearly half of fatalities happen on highways, and 94% of accidents are caused by human error);
• enable fuel-efficient driving and therefore reduce emissions from freight trucks, which are currently responsible for 28% of all road vehicle CO₂ emissions; and
• enhancing truck utilisation and provide a sustainable solution for the driver shortage that continues to put pressure on drivers to work long hours at the risk of safe driving.

With this 190+ km self-driving achievement, Otto, A-B and the State of Colorado have demonstrated that self-driving long-haul trucks are no longer a matter of imagination.