The need for drivers with the right training and experience within the self-driving trucks industry is greater than ever. The self-driving trucks industry is a trillion-dollar industry and relies on experienced drivers to keep it going strong. With this in mind, it is imperative that these drivers undergo some form of industry-based training, or else they could put themselves in danger. A good training program for truck drivers will be inclusive and provide all the needed information for the student as well as the instructor.
One such industry-based training program is the German Safety Course. The German language is a requirement for most courses within this industry. It should be noted that there is a truck driver shortage in Germany at the moment. This is down to a number of factors including the slowing down of the economy and the rising unemployment rate in Germany as well as the number of people moving to the country from various European Union countries. These factors have combined to create a truck driver shortage in Germany and many trucking companies are now recruiting truck drivers from countries such as the US, the UK, and Australia.
A US Department of Transport study into the trucking industry found that truckers would prefer the option of driving an electric vehicle. The findings showed that there is a real demand for drivers who are able to take on driving a hybrid electric vehicle on the road. Of the survey, only a small proportion of survey takers were aware that the Federal Clean Air Act permits the use of electric vehicles on the road. Some other findings included that a large number of truck drivers do not have sufficient insurance cover which may put them at risk of a claim being declined. In order to tackle the issues surrounding the trucking industry, the Government is offering a number of options in order to tackle the issues surrounding self-driving trucks industry.
One of the ways in which the industry is trying to combat the issues facing drivers today is by looking at the way in which the truckers are spending their time. It is suggested that many truckers do not spend enough time talking to other drivers and the majority spend most of their time chatting on their mobile phones. The Government is looking to make improvements in this area by introducing a new road trip hotline that will allow truck drivers to report their sightings of dangerous roads and other issues.
Another issue facing truckers in the UK is the lack of legal protection for truck drivers. Current regulations do not give legal protection to people who drive trucks carrying dangerous goods. An EHIC (Employment Health and Safety Executive) review in January 2021 looked at the legal position of drivers transporting hazardous goods and recommended several changes to current rules. These changes would help ensure safer transport of goods across the country.
In a study released in January, the BBC revealed that up to one in five drivers working in the UK has suffered a medical condition due to being exposed to some form of dangerous material at work. Of these, around one in twenty were workers who were employed by drivers without any form of basic health and safety training. This shocking figure has prompted questions about the lack of legal protection available to employees working in the Self-Driving Trucks industry. An investigation by the BBC found that in some cases the companies involved did not take adequate steps to ensure that their drivers were equipped with the correct health and safety equipment. It was found that the Legal Services Regulation would need to be changed to ensure that all drivers who use commercial vans and other fully autonomous trucks received adequate legal advice before commencing work.
A number of manufacturers have introduced an autonomous safety system to their fleet of semi-automated trucks and therefore the Self-Driving Trucks industry can claim some sort of success. However, the UK government is urging caution as no system is foolproof and driver assistance still needs to be introduced. A series of tests involving semi-automated trucks in Great Britain have shown that although the vehicles are able to respond to emergencies by themselves, their safety may be put at risk if they are not supervised.
The Self-Driving Vehicle Working Group has set up a voluntary self-advisory board to oversee progress and identify areas for improvement. The group has submitted a draft roadmap that it hopes will set out the legal framework for the trucking industry by the end of the next five years. The group will continue to monitor developments and develop plans based on the guidelines of the roadmap. A v2v system is only useful if drivers know what it is and how it works and this is one area that the Self-Driving Trucks Association believes should be addressed in the next version of the v2v.
