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Completed October 7, 2019

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations ................................................................................................................ 3

Abstract ................................................................................................................................ 4

Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 5

Benefits................................................................................................................................. 5-7

Safety ........................................................................................................................ 5-6

Cost Savings .............................................................................................................. 6

Environmental Impact .............................................................................................. 7

Driver Comfort .......................................................................................................... 7

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 8

Glossary ................................................................................................................................ 9

Works Cited .......................................................................................................................... 10

Appendix .............................................................................................................................. 11

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List of Illustrations

Figure 1. Total commercial vehicle fatalities: 1994-2017

Figure 2. Platooning diagram to illustrate the connectivity between commercial vehicles

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Abstract
This study is an introduction to the benefits of autonomous commercial vehicles. Based on
data from the transportation industry. Commercial vehicle-related fatalities continue to climb
year after year. Considering that almost all accidents are the result of human error, removing
the human element from the equation will significantly reduce accidents and save lives. The
added benefit to reducing the likeliness of an accident is cost savings. Some additional
advantages include a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and improvements in driver
comfort.

The research shows that autonomous commercial vehicles improves safety. This improvement
will save lives and reduce the total cost of ownership. Some of the long term benefits of
automation include driver retention and a diminishing impact on the environment.

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Introduction
The purpose of this research paper is to define the benefits of autonomous commercial
vehicles. The commercial vehicle market has seen many changes over the years. Although the
industry has witnessed many transformations, it is nothing like the change from automation.
Some of those changes improve safety, provide cost savings, or address environmental
concerns, while others provide driver comfort. There are many levels of automation, from no
automation to full automation. An autonomous commercial vehicle is one that as the ability to
operates under full automation. There are still many functions a driver must perform in a
commercial vehicle, so although the vehicle is autonomous, it does not mean it is driverless.

Societies' perception of autonomous vehicles play a vital role in the adoption of this
technology. As acceptance is conceded, the state and local governments will embrace the
technology, which in turn will implement regulation to support the infrastructure of the
transportation system.

Safety
Safety is the primary concern related to commercial trucks. Because of the size and weight of
these vehicles when involved in an accident, severe injury or death can occur. It is imperative
to continuously find ways to reduce the likelihood of an accident to mitigate the risk associated
with driving a commercial truck.

Commercial vehicle-related fatalities dropped with the great recession from 2007 until 2009, as
shown in Figure 1, but have continued to rise as the economy has expanded. As the need for
transportation of goods increases, so will the likelihood of accident-related deaths.
Intervention is necessary to reduce injuries and fatalities as a result of commercial vehicle
accidents.

Figure 1
Total Commercial Vehicle Fatalities: 1994-2017

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

Source: https://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Trends/TrendsLargeTruckRel.aspx

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Commercial vehicles use some forms of automation today to help prevent or avoid accidents.
This automation includes:
• Adaptive cruise control – This technology allows a vehicle to adjust speeds and maintain
a safe following distance to prevent or avoid many accidents.
• Backing cameras and sensors – Backing cameras provide a larger field of view for the
driver, and sensors send an audible alert when an object is present in the backing area.
• Radar devices – Radar is used to when the vehicle is in motion to alert the driver when
vehicles are in a blind spot.
• Lane centering assist – This technology is designed to keep a vehicle in the proper lane.

Full automation uses a complexed system of cameras, sensors, and radar along with a highly
specialized computer to perform all of the functions necessary to maneuver a vehicle along a
roadway. This level of automation provides the safest method of transportation because it
removes the factor of human error. Based on NHTSA research, 94% of all accidents are
attributed to human error. Decision making, distractions, and sleepiness are human errors that
can be mitigated with automation. With statistics as high as 94%, the ability to reduce
accidents related to driver error from the equation has a significant impact on safety on the
road.

Cost Savings
In any business, the cost is always a guiding factor in ensuring the profitability of a company.
Automation can impact the cost of operating a commercial vehicle through the improvement of
fuel economy, reduction of training cost, and the prevention of accidents.

Commercial vehicles are in the business of driving from place to place. The miles driven can
vary by industry, but fuel efficiency has a significant impact on the profitability of the business.
One of the ways automation helps to improve fuel efficiency is through route guidance. The
route chosen by a driver is not always the most fuel-efficient. There are many factors like
elevation change, traffic, speed, and distance that have a significant impact on fuel usage.
Automation reduces human interaction and plans routes to maximize efficiency.

The cost of training new employees is high in any industry. According to the 2018 training
industry report, the average cost to train an employee in 2018 was $983. Therefore, employee
retention is a crucial factor in the success of any business. Dan Porterfield, Senior Vice
President of Maintenance with CTG, said in a personal interview, "training a commercial truck
driver can cost up to $7,000". Due to the specialized training required for driving a commercial
truck, driver retention is a huge concern. The improvements in technology have reduced the
complexity of operating a commercial vehicle and in turn, reduced the stress on the driver. This
reduction of stress plays a massive factor in driver retention and reduce training cost.

Accidents are very costly in the commercial truck industry. Based on a 2007 study by the
FMCSA of accidents for commercial vehicles, the average cost of an accident is $91,112, and the
average cost of a fatality accident is $3,604,518. Aside from the personal impact an accident
triggers, the financial impact on the trucking company can be devastating.

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Environmental Impact
Aside from the benefits for business, Improved fuel economy also has an environmental impact.
In an annual report by the U.S. DOT on transportation statistics from 2017, it found that in
2015, the transportation sector accounted for 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the US.
GHG is a byproduct of internal combustion engines. As fuel consumption goes down, so does
the GHG emissions produced in the operation of the vehicle.

Automation presents a new opportunity to lessen the impact on the environment through
platooning. Platooning is a convoy of connected autonomous commercial vehicles that share
real-time data between vehicles, including braking and alerts. In figure 2, platooning is
represented by three autonomous commercial vehicles shown traveling at just 15m following
distance. This reduction in the following distance reduces the amount of air-drag and improves
fuel efficiency. In a recent study by the NREL, platooning in the U.S. alone can reduce GHG
emissions by 15.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.

Figure 2

Source: https://www.daimler.com/innovation/case/connectivity/connected-trucks.html

Driver Comfort
Driver comfort is a primary consideration of retention. The daily operation of commercial
vehicles is stressful and at times, monotonous. In an autonomous vehicle, many of the stressors
of daily driving are reduced or eliminated. The overall health of the driver improves with the
reduction of stress. In an autonomous vehicle, downtime passes performing other business-
related functions while still maintaining control of the vehicle.

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Conclusion
Commercial truck fleets provide incentives for safe driving and fuel efficiency, as well as truck
system programming to prevent speeding. All of which can be circumvented by the driver if
desired. Driver hour limits, and electronic driver log mandates imposed by the government to
combat fatigue and improve safety, still do not prevent the driver from falling asleep. Over
time many solutions have been conceived with little effect on safety, fuel efficiency, and driver
retention.

Autonomous commercial vehicles allow the fleet owners to provide a safe, efficient,
environmentally friendly mode to conduct business while providing more comfort for the
driver. The transformations brought on by automation will have a significant impact on
highway safety, reduce the total cost of ownership for a commercial vehicle, reduce GHG
Emissions, and improve the quality of life for the driver.

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Glossary

Air-Drag: Friction created by the molecules in the air that impacts the fuel efficiency of a
vehicle.

Autonomous Vehicle: A vehicle that can drive without human interdiction from one point to a
pre-designated point.

Commercial Vehicles: This term is used to describe vehicles used for commercial purposes with
a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 lbs. or more.

Greenhouse Gas: Gaseous compounds such as carbon dioxide, methane, and

chlorofluorocarbons that trap heat in the atmosphere.

Radar: Device that uses sound waves to determine the distance and speed of an object.

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Work Cited
Giroux, David. “Autonomous Vehicle Background.” DTNA.
https://daimler-trucksnorthamerica.com/media/1761/av-technology-backgrounder.pdf

NHTSA. “Fatality Analysis Report.” Department of Transportation. 3/9/2019.

https://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Trends/TrendsLargeTruckRel.aspx

Michael J. Sprung. “Transportation Statistics Annual Report.” US DOT Bureau of Statistics.

2/5/2018. https://www.bts.gov/sites/bts.dot.gov/files/docs/browse-statistical-
products-and-data/transportation-statistics-annual-reports/215041/tsar-2017-rev-2-5-
18-full-layout.pdf

Santokh Singh. “Traffic Safety Facts Crash•Stats. Report No. DOT HS 812 115.” National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 02/2015.
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812115

Lorri Freifeld. “2018 Training Industry Report.” Training Magazine. 07/2018.

https://trainingmag.com/sites/default/files/trn-2018-industry-report.pdf

Porterfield, Dan. Personal Interview. 10/4/2019.

Muratori, M., Holden, J., Lammert, M., Duran, A. et al., “Potentials for Platooning in U.S.
Highway Freight Transport,” SAE Int. J. Commer. Veh. 10(1):2017, doi:10.4271/2017-01-
0086. https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy17osti/67618.pdf

Eduard Zaloshnja, Ph.D., Ted Miller, Ph.D. “Unit Costs of Medium and Heavy Truck Crashes.”
Sponsored by U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration. 3/2007
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/UnitCostsTruck%20Crashes2
007.pdf

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Appendix

Acronym Definition

FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

GHG Greenhouse Gas

NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory

U.S. DOT United States Department of Transportation

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