Euroviews. We should not make the same mistake with autonomous driving as we did with electric vehicles

Incredible technological advancements have been made in autonomous vehicles, from the integration of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to advancements in AI and machine learning, that promise a transformative impact for the automotive industry. 

Yet, despite their clear benefits — greater cost-efficiency, less traffic congestion, and lower carbon emissions — widespread adoption of autonomous technology remains elusive.

If history is our guide, we risk repeating the same missteps with autonomous driving as with electric transportation. 

For a century, the technology for electric vehicles lay dormant, waiting for the right match of technology and business models to unlock its potential. 

And while the technology for electrification exists now and the one for autonomous transportation edges closer for commercial vehicles, one of the key challenges lies in aligning the right business models with these solutions, to showcase their benefits and catalyse wider acceptance and implementation.

Freight is the ideal industry for autonomous technologies to be deployed and scaled, and has a massive opportunity to lead the way in proving its maturity and accelerating commercial applications.

Millions of goods need to be moved every day — between warehouses, to and from distribution centres, and to stores or customers. 

The repetitive nature of this movement, usually over short distances and at low speeds, without many human passengers on board, and its tremendous volume, place freight in a particularly advantageous position. 

These journeys are more predictable as trucks tend to drive the same A to B routes regularly and often inside fenced areas. 

With fewer external factors governing it, it means that vehicles can operate in a