Autonomous vehicles, like trucks and drones, are the future of the logistics industry. At least, that’s what a significant number of experts think, according to data from our monthly Logistics Pulse report.
It shows that 17% of logistics professionals believe autonomous vehicles and drones will be the most disruptive technological advancement for the industry over the next two to three years. This represents the highest percentage in our data, beating out fleet management software (11%), route optimization platforms (11%), and predictive maintenance tools (8%).
However, while autonomous vehicles may lead the way in the logistics industry down the road, the reality is that few are actually implementing the technology in 2025. Our research found that only 7% of businesses are using autonomous technology, the lowest percentage across our research, compared with fleet management software (31%), route optimization platforms (29%), and predictive maintenance tools (25%).
So, what does this disconnect mean? It means that the majority of businesses need to start taking action to prepare for an autonomous future in the logistics industry, and we’re here to help.
Build Tech Foundations
If you’re a business that is slow to adopt new technologies, it’s going to be hard to jump right into the autonomous vehicle conversation. As you can imagine, this kind of upgrade takes a lot of infrastructure to do right, and the reality is that you won’t be able to go straight from paper logs to self-driving trucks.
So, what you need to do before you get your feet wet with autonomous technology is set your logistics business up with a range of other technologies that make life easier for truckers. That way, when you actually are ready to get going with self-driving vehicles, you’ll already have the infrastructure needed to use them at their full potential.
What kind of technology do you need to run your logistics business in 2025? Well, that one is easy. Route optimization tools, fleet tracking software, fuel management systems, and telematic platforms will all improve your business operations, while giving you a solid foundation on which to build your autonomous future.
Make Strategic Partnerships
The idea of using autonomous technology to haul freight can feel pretty daunting, especially for smaller operations that probably don’t have the resources to launch it themselves. After all, autonomous vehicles like trucks and drones take years to perfect, and the investment required is nothing if not substantial.
Subsequently, your best bet for getting the ball rolling is finding some established companies that you can partner with to bring the technology to your fleet. Many operators are looking to forge partnerships with businesses in order to better train their technology, as it’s very much a quantity game as far as data is concerned for autonomous vehicles.
As for the companies that are doing this, your best bet is to check out Aurora, arguably the biggest name in the logistics industry for self-driving technology. Another option is Waymo, Google’s self-driving tech subsidiary, although that is largely focused on consumer-facing car options rather than logistics specifics.
Prepare Your Workforce
New partnerships and new technology can be quite a burden on your workforce. Adapting to new systems, working with new people, and generally taking on a variety of new challenges that haven’t been faced before is enough to rub some employees the wrong way if they aren’t properly prepared for the change.
That’s why working with your team, to ensure that they are as comfortable with these changes as you are, can make a big difference. Everything from training meetings to Q&A sessions will make them feel appreciated, rather than like they’re going to be replaced by new technology.
On top of that, you’ll want to be sure you are training your team on the right things. Developing employees who will be able to actually use this technology will be paramount to avoiding layoffs. Future-proofing these positions will go a long way to ensure that your technological advancements aren’t knee-capped by poor retention numbers.
Stay Informed
While it’s been talked about for a while now, autonomous technology is still very much finding its footing in the industry. Only a few businesses are really doing it right, with most still in the testing phase, before taking their ideas far and wide.
That’s why staying informed about the state of the logistics industry is going to be your best bet, and our Logistics Pulse report can really help. We post monthly updates to our data in regard to autonomous adoption, technology changes, and everything you’ll need to know to keep your business ahead of the curve on self-driving technology.
You can also sign up for the Inside Lane newsletter or check out our other logistics reports, which provides readers with up-to-date insights from industry experts who know what they’re talking about when it comes to logistics.