• 08-05-2022

How Truck Drivers impact ecosystem in logistics sector

The Logistics sector has always been one of the most growing sectors and a laggard in terms of varying trends in the market, and contribution towards the economy but also in the adoption of technology. Also, the industry is growing with the latest advent of technologies like IoT, Artificial Intelligence (Al) and Machine Learning (ML) have placed this sector on a track that is shortly moving to not just change the sector but also will give a peak to a whole new species of paradigms. ln logistics sector, truck drivers play an essential part to deliver the goods from the storage to the market. As trucks travel interstate highways, onboard sensors collect, send and receive information via cloud-based fleet management systems. With technology advancements, the truck is becoming a part of the broader Internet of Things (IoT) logistics ecosystem that could change trucking and the logistics industry. Over the following decade, the IoT in logistics is expected to generate more value according to the 2015 DHL and Cisco Internet of Things Trend Report.

Sumit Sharma, co-founder, of GoBOLT reports on how AI and ML are influencing road logistics in terms of safety, tracking real-time behaviors, and optimization of trucks and truck drivers.

The high need for truck drivers in the nation is also, especially due to the uneven way in which shipment moves here. The lack of channels or air cargo modes of transportation like railways and roads haul the majority of the goods in India. Even then, there is a certain tendency towards roads in the recent past. Road freight is deemed the most ineffective and costly mode of freight haulage. It is more time-consuming, prone to damage, and at the mercy of external factors. The Indian roadways industry is also quite poor when evaluated against global standards. To fulfill the market of the logistics companies trucking companies also work efficiently to meet the demand in the given time.

A truck driver shortage is adding to global supply chain challenges, controlling the trucking sector from fulfilling the increased demand driven by a boom in e-commerce. The shortfall might rise to more than 160,000 drivers by 2030, according to the industry body, due to an aging force and scheduled load growth. Another huge challenge in the logistics industry is underutilization and inadequate load procurement; consequently, these trucks will allow separate loading and unloading of receptacles in yards and ports, resulting in increased efficiency. The low utilization rates not only decrease the efficiency of operations and distribution for the rest of the supply chain but also improve the number of trucks on the road, resulting in increased greenhouse gas emissions. One of the most advantageous aspects of autonomous truck technology is the potential to increase truck safety. Inattentive motorists and inadequate driving are deemed the biggest causes of the expanded number of fatalities, which autonomous trucking technology is expected to solve as the systems provide a 360-degree view of the surroundings, process more knowledge, and react faster compared with a human driver. Technology firms have been running a variety of independent truck pilots and currently, these programs deploy trucks indeterminate areas where their movement is confined within defined geographies. These pilots are undertaken with the anticipation of validating an AV system, starting with line-haul, on-highway applications in simple interstate scenarios and fair weather conditions. Then, the aim is to develop the captains to more-challenging driving conditions, aimed at increasing the adoption of automated features in trucks from Level 1 to fully autonomous powers. As autonomous trucking becomes more popular, consumer perceptions of autonomous technology's safety will have an impact on acceptance and adoption, acting as an accelerator or a deterrent. A strategic plan to accelerate the development and adoption of commercial AVs includes four dimensions: a legal framework, new regulations, appropriate road infrastructure, and collaboration with manufacturers.