3 BIG things that DON’T change in the transition to ELECTRIC long-haul trucks
How AI delivers what truckers want
Last year, the beginnings of a revolution occurred. A Tesla Semi, operated by PepsiCo, drove 1,076 miles (1,721 km) in one 24-hour period.
INCLUDING charging!
What this did is prove that electric trucks work very, very well for long haul when fast, megawatt level charging is available. In fact, I’m betting it changed the minds of a LOT of people.
Right now, a series of electric truck charging stations are being built across the western US. The focus now is on California’s Highway 5, nicknamed “Electric Highway”, that will form the basis of an Over the Road long haul truck route along the west coast. Similar routes will roll out across the US over time, supported by recent Biden Administration funding announcements, and will ramp up as electric truck prices begin to fall.
While long haul truckers absolutely appreciate the power and quiet running of electric trucks, there’s some things they need which don’t change in this transition. While truckers want the same things as you and me in a job, like competitive pay, job security, respect and recognition, training and good quality equipment; there are three 3 things in particular that you and I take for granted, which truckers don’t always have.
These are:
1) Good food
2) A clean washroom and a hot shower
3) Easy parking for the truck
None of these things I would have thought of, but we all forget that long haul truckers live in their trucks while working, and often these basics are hard to come by.
Want good food? Guaranteed you can’t park there.
Easy parking? You just get grease food.
A hot shower? In that fancy place up the road – with no truck parking.
So, where would a trucker find all that?
“Find me a Thai restaurant within the next 50 miles on my route, with truck parking within 200 yards.”
Cerence Inc., a Vision Mobility client, offers solutions that empower truckers with AI-powered navigation, which allows for detailed requests like this to be understood and interpreted. In other words, Cerence’s solutions for trucking quickly and easily help truckers find basic necessities we all take for granted. While experienced drivers might know some hot spots, newer drivers may not, and AI in navigation systems completely opens up the possibilities.
As they are built out across the US, Cerence’s solutions will account for electric truck charging stations that feature comfortable surroundings, a nice shower area and good quality healthy food available for a reasonable price.
It’s things like this that make drivers’ lives a little bit better and go some way to attracting more drivers into an occupation that is critical, yet completely taken for granted.
What types of things do you think would make a trucker’s life easier?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below
#connectedvehicles #transportation #fleets #AI
More here:
https://lnkd.in/gy8Nm8V6
Awesome!