Many trucks on the freeway already drive themselves -with an operator on board. These trucks operate smoothly and safely with little to no human intervention. Such vehicles are capable of knowing when to make space and move over when another vehicle is trying to merge and slowing down when they see a vehicle pulled over on the side of the road. These automated trucks are very capable drivers. So, shouldn’t we put more of these autonomous big rigs on the road? Yes.

Right now, there is a shortage of some 80,000 truck drivers in the U.S.; it is estimated that there will be a shortage of about 160,000 by the end of the decade. This is a piece of the problem in the supply chain issues we’ve all been experiencing. Furthermore, a business can save money by using these autonomous vehicles and increase safety (e.g., an autonomous truck won’t fall asleep at the wheel or try to go under a bridge with too low of a clearance). Also, unlike city streets, freeways are all fairly similar. For example, a freeway in Massachusetts and a freeway in Minnesota look basically the same. However, an intersection in San Francisco would be more of a challenge to program for and navigate, because of the numerous variables involved in the autonomous vehicle’s calculations. We’ll see how many autonomous big rigs hit our freeways in the near future if the industry can save money and increase safety as promised by this technology.

Photo of Kathryn Rattigan Kathryn Rattigan

Kathryn Rattigan is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Data Privacy+ Cybersecurity Team. She concentrates her practice on privacy and security compliance under both state and federal regulations and advising clients on website and mobile app privacy and security…

Kathryn Rattigan is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Data Privacy+ Cybersecurity Team. She concentrates her practice on privacy and security compliance under both state and federal regulations and advising clients on website and mobile app privacy and security compliance. Kathryn helps clients review, revise and implement necessary policies and procedures under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). She also provides clients with the information needed to effectively and efficiently handle potential and confirmed data breaches while providing insight into federal regulations and requirements for notification and an assessment under state breach notification laws. Prior to joining the firm, Kathryn was an associate at Nixon Peabody. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Roger Williams University School of Law and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Stonehill College. She is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Read her full rc.com bio here.