The world of self-driving trucks is rapidly evolving, with various companies investing time and resources to perfect this technology.

As automation in the trucking industry gets closer to becoming a reality, the primary concern on truck drivers' minds is job security. In this article, we'll explore the major players in the self-driving truck sector, the levels of driving automation, potential challenges, and what this means for the future of trucking jobs.

The Leading Players in Self-Driving Trucks are Daimler, TuSimple, Waymo, Tesla, and Volvo. Each of these companies are in the midst of testing their innovative trucks, with several companies completing hundreds of thousands of miles of automated miles already.

The challenged to introduce self-driving trucks is immense with companies like Waymo scaling back their approach to autonomous trucking. Companies like Tesla have been close-lipped about their rollout of self-driving capabilities.

Understanding Levels of Driving Automation

Autonomous trucks operate at various levels of automation, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). These levels include:

• No Driving Automation (Level 0)

• Driver Assistance (Level 1)

• Partial Driving Automation (Level 2)

• Conditional Driving Automation (Level 3)

• High Driving Automation (Level 4)

• Full Driving Automation (Level 5)

Challenges and Concerns with Self-Driving Trucks

While self-driving technology has made significant progress, there are still concerns about its safety. Trucks are larger and less maneuverable than cars, which means they require more space to avoid accidents. The placement of sensors on top of truck cabs raises concerns about sun interference, distinguishing between objects, and handling adverse weather conditions, particularly in city settings.

The Path to Full Automation

Autonomous trucks are likely to progress in four phases, with full automation expected in the next decade:

• Phase One: Platooning where several self-driving trucks will follow a lead truck with a human driver

• Phase Two: Human driver in lead truck

• Phase Three: Lead trucks completely autonomous on highways

• Phase Four: Fully driverless autonomous trucks

Trucking Industry's Perspective

Industry experts don't see self-driving trucks as an imminent threat to truck drivers' jobs. Economic factors will continue to create demand for drivers. Trucking jobs will evolve, with drivers expected to do less manual driving and become more like airplane pilots, supervising the automated systems for safety.

Job Security in the Trucking Industry

Self-driving trucks are undoubtedly changing the landscape of the trucking industry, but they won't eliminate the need for human drivers. Truck drivers will remain essential, ensuring the safety and reliability of autonomous trucks on the road.

The future of trucking offers a combination of technology and human expertise, creating new opportunities and enhancing the industry's overall efficiency and safety. As with most technological innovations, it is those individuals who learn about and engage with advancements that ride the wave of new opportunities.

While the road ahead may change, truck drivers will continue to play a vital role in the future of trucking.