Driverless Trucks: 400 percent Price-Performance Gain In Transportation Future
ShortBytes: Driverless trucks are coming with loads of benefits like labor cost cutting, longer operational hours, fuel efficiency, and much more road safety benefits. Take a look at how these benefits play the future roles in self-driving trucking.
Today, a truckload shipment costs around $4,500 from L.A. to New York. And the labor charges represent 75 percent of the total cost. So, in terms of savings, a driverless truck saves 75 percent of the shipment cost.
Also, currently in the US, truck drivers cannot drive more than 11 hours per day without taking an 8-hour break. On the other hand, a driverless truck can drive nearly 24 hours per day. So if we take a look at the driving times, the driverless trucks would effectively double the output of the U.S. transportation network .
Next comes the efficiency:
For a loaded truck, the optimal cruising speed from a fuel efficiency standpoint of view is around 45 miles per hour. While the drivers who are paid by the miles drive much faster to earn more. So, in the terms of fuel efficiency, driverless trucks also perform better.
Other than fuel efficiency and cost cutting, once the driverless trucks will be rolled out, we can also enjoy considerable road safety benefits. Read our coverage on how: Mercedes Making Self-Driving Truck to Cut Down on Accidents
Besides, the nature of the trucking job does not attract youngsters, so the average age of a commercial driver is 55 (and rising every year). In the upcoming year shortages, driverless trucks will be able to suffice the need for the truck drivers.
