Autonomous trucks: a reality as early as 2030?

Autonomous vehicles have got their go-ahead. With the German Act on Autonomous Driving of July 12, 2021, Germany became the first country in the world to enact such a law. This regulates and essentially permits the use of autonomous vehicles in defined operational areas, such as traffic between logistics terminals. In this way, the lawmakers want to enable practical trials of this technology not only on secured premises, but also on public roads, subject to human supervision.

In recent years, driver assistance systems such as emergency brake assist (EBA), GPS-controlled cruise control, or the turn-off assistant for trucks have proven that technology, and computer-controlled technology in particular, not only makes vehicle operation more comfortable, but also safer and more economical. Nevertheless, experts estimate that 94 percent of all traffic accidents today are still due to human error. Less damage, fewer injuries, and fewer deaths on the roads would be reasons enough to push ahead with the development of autonomous vehicles.