Driverless vehicles may sound like something out of a science fiction film, but the truth is the technology is already here.
But what about trucks specifically? At the moment, there’s nothing to suggest that driverless trucks will completely replace drivers. The technology is still developing and being tested, and it will be quite a while before the entire workforce can be replaced with autonomous trucks – if they can be at all.
Driverless trucks rely heavily on sensors such as cameras, radar, Lidar, ultrasonic, and GPS. Because different types of sensors work best for different functions, most driverless trucks will have multiple sensors built in.
They’re also able to map their location using high-resolution mapping technology. Combining this with the data from the sensors means that driverless trucks can build and update an accurate, localised map of their surroundings.
Autonomous trucks also use AI in their technology – it lets the truck learn from past experiences and from its environment and improve its operation. Currently, humans are thought to be better at doing this, although self-driving AI systems are expected to develop exponentially in the next decade.
So why use driverless trucks at all? Here are a few reasons why:
Economic benefits: The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) believe that driverless vehicles (including trucks, cars, buses, taxis and vans) could generate around £66 billion and create an estimated additional 342,000 jobs by 2040.
Safety: The SMMT also believes that the technology could save around 3,900 lives and avoid 60,000 serious collisions over the next 15 years1.
Speed: A driverless truck doesn’t need to take breaks like a human. They’ll be able to operate 24 hours a day and drive a consistent mileage rate2.
Driver shortage: There’s currently a shortage of HGV drivers in the industry, so driverless trucks will help to narrow the shortfall3.
It’s easy to imagine a future where the roads are completely vacant of drivers, with only passengers being driven by AI systems, but that’s not quite what experts think will happen.
For the foreseeable future, ‘driverless’ vehicles will likely have human supervisors who act as a kind of copilot, on hand in case of mechanical problems or even speak to police in the event of a road incident.
Humans will still be needed for complex tasks like city navigation, loading and unloading, cargo inspections, and facing unpredictable weather.
It may also depend on the country – in the United States where there are long stretches of highway between towns, having a driverless vehicle function makes sense. But in the UK, with more winding country roads, it may be a little more difficult for the AI system to navigate.
However, the UK is inching towards autonomous driving, with self-driving taxis set to hit the roads before the end of 2026. The introduction of the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act in 2024 laid the groundwork for companies to start testing self-driving vehicles such as buses and taxis. There are six levels of automation according to the Act:
So why use driverless trucks at all? Here are a few reasons why:
Level 0: No automation
Level 1: Driver assistance
Level 2: Partial automation
Level 3: Conditional automation
Level 4: High automation
Level 5: Full automation
The first three levels are assisted driving (human in control), while the last three levels are automated driving (system in control). Level 3 systems are currently emerging in the UK, while level 4 and 5 systems aren’t yet legal on public roads4.
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The employee is reimbursed on a pence per mile basis for using their private vehicle on business journeys. Vehicles used by employees under cash allowance schemes are considered grey fleet too’.
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