Investments in autonomous truck startups increase at a fast pace. Various startups in the autonomous truck technology space attract new investors. Although most of the focus is on developing autonomous trucks for highway and long haul driving, eventually, we will see more autonomous trucks in the short-haul or even in the last mile delivery.
Currently, truck platooning is a key focus area for autonomous truck technology.
We expect to see consolidation in the autonomous truck startup space where long haul and short-haul focused technology companies cooperate or merge to offer end-to-end solutions to their customers.
All these developments would move the autonomous truck technologies past autonomous cars on the road.
Here is a link to an interesting article on this topic.
“The move points to a growing consensus in the industry: If self-driving vehicles are going to happen, trucks will likely arrive before cars. For evidence, follow the money. Investors have poured $11 billion into autonomous truck startups in the past two and a half years, more than $5 billion of that in the first five months of this year alone, according to the data and research company PitchBook.”
“Traditional truck makers and carriers are signing deals with tech companies, signaling optimism in the self-driving future. And the pandemic showed just how vital trucking and logistics are to the economy.”
https://www.wired.com/story/trucks-move-past-cars-road-autonomy/