Automating transport is one way companies are looking to trim supply chain costs, primarily through reduced labor use. The pathway for middle-mile autonomous truck adoption is easier than in the last mile, as its routes are far more consistent. Fixed, predictable movements are well-suited for autonomous trucks, Michael Molitor, Great Dane executive director of business development, said in an article on the transportation company’s website.

“Eliminating the driver provides carriers the ability to … reallocate scarce driver resources to the last mile, which is where drivers are needed to deliver the goods and operate the truck, given urban environments are a higher risk due to the density of people and objects,” Molitor said.