There has been lots of talk about self driving cars and how they will change the world, and they will, but before that happens, a just as big change will come to trucking. Imagine a long line of trucks all super close together getting 2x the gas or electric mileages because of drafting. Drivers would ‘ride’ the truck for 6 hours then stop and a hand off point and a new driver would get in and do another 6 hours. Just like the pony express!! The movement of goods around the country would be faster and cheaper, not to mention less accidents.

In the beginning, I sure we will still require drivers to be in the trucks, but just like with Airline pilots of today, they only spend perhaps 5 or 10 min of actual on hand flying of the aircraft, and that is mostly around taxing.  It will be the same with long hall truckers.  They will take the cab and connect up to the load, insure all the correct info is set into the navigation, then drive to the interstate.  Once up to speed and in the desired lane, they turn on auto cruise and that is about it for the next 6 hours.  I have to think that could really boring.  I would bet truck drivers will be the future superstars of video games…assuming they have wifi/5G on those rigs by then.

BTW, that picture above?  My father was a big rig driver so I know a little bit about how it works.  This is what he drove before he retired.