The trucking revolution

The task of trucking, which is essentially hauling items from Point A to Point B, seems relatively simple at first glance. For those not in the know — for those who don’t realize the many factors and intricacies affecting the industry, its leaders and its associates — it’s nearly impossible to realize the incredible role trucking played in the modernization of the globe and our society as a whole.

The shipment of building materials, food and other goods played a pivotal role in America from the early 1900s onward. As highways were built and improved upon, they also became increasingly populated with trucks carrying freight. That agility empowered us to become the nation we are today.

America may now be well-populated, but trucking remains a catalyst for our advancement. Major industries are looking to trucking as a way to test and improve their technologies for the betterment of our world and to streamline our overall efficiency.

Nokia in particular is using the trucking industry to test communication technologies as trucks become more automated, computerized and perhaps ultimately autonomous. But these technologies don’t necessarily mean the end of the traditional truck driver.

Software is being created to help drivers understand the roads better, and to assist in fuel economy. For instance, technology exists to help drivers know how far they are from one other so those distances can be optimized. By controlling that distance, and ergo the wake of the wind, fuel economy can be improved by upward of 10 percent. This is just one minor example. There’s more to come, and we’ll be watching.