Prof. Howard Weiss shares his insights with our readers monthly.
Automation is increasingly transforming the transportation industry. As one recent report noted, “Automation is turning transportation networks into continuously optimizing systems that consume less energy per unit moved, operate for longer hours, reduce labor bottlenecks and reshape demand for fuels and electricity.” The importance of this transformation is significant because transportation accounts for approximately 30% of U.S. energy consumption, second only to electric power generation. As discussed in the Chapter 11 of your Heizer/Render/Munson textbook, air, rail, highway, and waterway transportation systems are essential components of an effective supply chain system. Automation and AI are changing how each of these modes operates.
Trucking accounts for the majority of transportation miles and approximately 60% of transportation fuel consumption. Driverless trucks are already being tested and used in Texas. However, widespread deployment remains challenging because automated systems can have difficulty handling conditions such as curves, hills, and other unpredictable roadway situations.
While automation could eventually reduce the demand for truck drivers, the industry currently faces a shortage of drivers. So the immediate objective is often to have automation assist drivers rather than replace them. In Ohio, for example, automated trucks operate with a human driver present. These trucks can operate for much longer periods, increasing capacity by avoiding the limitations imposed by driver-hours regulations.
Rail is also becoming increasingly automated. AI and automated systems continuously inspect tracks, evaluate track conditions, and monitor wheel integrity. Rather than relying solely on periodic inspections by employees, railroads can collect information continuously. AI can also analyze train performance at different speeds and use the resulting data to identify more efficient operating practices.
Barges are particularly energy efficient because they can move large quantities of goods using less fuel than either trucks or trains. On the Mississippi River, AI-assisted pilot systems have been tested to help identify changing river conditions. Machine-learning systems are also being developed for navigation, hazard monitoring, vessel tracking, and calculating stopping distances.
Safety is perhaps the most important potential benefit of automation. However, AI can also reduce fuel consumption, minimize delays and bottlenecks, improve asset utilization, and allow transportation systems to operate more efficiently.
Classroom Discussion Questions:
- To what extent should humans remain involved in operating and supervising automated transportation systems?
- How might advances in AI influence decisions about which transportation mode companies use to move goods in the future?