Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/357935
COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | AUGUST 2014 23 two or three vehicles across the country with no drivers in the trailing vehicles? Yes. Do I think the driver in that lead truck will be a highly trained, highly paid and highly valued transportation specialist? Without question. You may long for simpler trucks and engines that could be torn down and rebuilt under a shade tree, but vehi- cles are getting more complex. That means our industry – on both the fl eet and OEM sides – has to start dealing proactively with a technician shortage that only is going to get worse as these technologies enter production and become commonplace. Don't panic – these changes aren't going to hit all at once. There will be headaches, but there also will be con- crete advantages. Guys who deal with the learning curve and understand and embrace these new systems are going to be more valuable to fl eets than guys who don't. Finally, keep in mind that there's lots of money to be made in all of this – and the fl eets that fi gure out how to leverage these new technolo- gies to their benefi t will be the ones making it. I 've said it before: Europe is the center of automotive and truck design today. A trip to Germany last month, along with an earlier visit to Italy with Meritor in May, only have affirmed that. That means big changes are coming soon to the North American trucking industry. The fi rst hints of this coming technological transformation were plain to see. Meritor's innovative "intelligent axle" was Exhibit A. Daimler's Autonomous Truck was Exhibit B. And then there's Exhibit C: ZF's Traxon AMT and Smart Truck Maneuvering system. The company also introduced a host of intelligent chassis and ride control systems that use electronic sensors for smoother ride quality and enhanced steering response, no matter the weather or road conditions. These aren't just cases where engineers are designing these systems simply because they can. In each case, these technologies are being pursued to solve specifi c problems. So if you're a truck OEM or top-tier component supplier, be ready: These technologies and the changes they will bring with them are coming. Do I think that in 10 years, truck drivers will be obsolete and rolling robots will be hauling our goods from state to state? No. Do I think that in certain cities 10 years from now, a driver stuck in heavy traffi c will be able to turn control of the truck over to an onboard computer and rest while the vehicle drives itself through the congestion? Absolutely. Do I think that if you're wondering about your Amazon package, you'll be able to turn on your computer and see its location at that moment? No question. Do I think a driver faced with a tight, hazardous backing situation will be able to climb down from the cab, walk to the back of the truck and use his tab- let computer or smartphone to guide the trailer precisely and safely to exactly where he wants it? Without a doubt. Do I think that fl eets struggling to fi nd drivers will embrace technology that will allow a driver in a lead truck to steer an electronically controlled convoy of PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS, AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS BY JACK ROBERTS JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jroberts@ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358. ACROSS THE ATLANTIC: Europe is the center of automotive and truck design today. FIXES FOR THE FUTURE: The tech- nology is being pursued to solve specifi c problems. BE READY: These technologies and the changes they will bring with them are coming. The future begins today Technology that will change trucking is already here