ABI Research: 7.7 Million Autonomous Truck Fleets to Ship by 2025

ADAS=Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Truck platoons are the most imminently anticipated application of highly automated driving in commercial vehicles. A fusion of forward-looking radar and V2V communication enable fleets of trucks to safely maneuver with a short distance between vehicles. The reduction in aerodynamic drag for following vehicles, and buildup of pressure behind the lead vehicle yields impressive fuel efficiencies, with various tests reporting convoy savings of between 5% and 10%. “With most fleet operators attributing some 30 to 40% of their operating costs to fuel expenditure, the savings presented by platooning are significant,” comments James Hodgson, Research Analyst, ABI Research.

As technology progresses and regulations adapt to accommodate greater vehicle automation, further benefits to fleet operators will come in the shape of labor productivity gains and better asset utilization. Currently, solutions from pioneers such as Peloton Technology require active intervention from the following driver to keep the vehicle within the lane of travel, but in the future the driver of the lead vehicle could be in sole control of all vehicles in the convoy; allowing following drivers to rest, or eliminating the need for them altogether.

Free ADAS and Active Safety Webinar on May 21, 2015 at 11 am ET for a deeper look at ABI Research’s commercial trucking coverage and the convergence of ADAS, telematics, autonomous driving, and big data,

These findings are part of ADAS and Autonomous Driving Technology in Trucks and Commercial Vehicles, a report from ABI Research’s Automotive Safety and Autonomous Driving and Commercial Vehicle Telematics Market Research.