Highway platooning
Driver · Long-haul Truck Driver
“Highway platooning” (Driver) is being replaced by AI: it entered in 2023 and is projected to be largely replaced by 2032.
What this task is
Several trucks travel in a tight convoy on the highway, with the following trucks automatically tracking the lead truck to reduce wind resistance and fuel consumption.
How AI replaces it
From 2023, autonomous truck platoons entered testing and pilot operations, with following trucks linked by vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Regulatory and road coordination limits mean platoons are expected to run without drivers in following trucks only around 2032.
What stays human
Lead-truck drivers or remote supervisors take responsibility for the whole convoy's safety, managing trucks as they join and leave the platoon and reacting to unexpected road or weather conditions.