We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • ::COVID-19 COVERAGE::
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » AI, robotics expert says logistics sector needs to push hard for truck platooning
Forward Thinking

AI, robotics expert says logistics sector needs to push hard for truck platooning

September 26, 2017
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
No Comments

Commercial motor vehicle "platooning," where a string of driverless trucks follows behind a lead vehicle with a driver, is a safe and sensible idea that needs more support from the freight transport and logistics community for it to gain traction, one of the nation's leading experts on artificial intelligence and robotics said yesterday.

Mary (Missy) Cummings, professor at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering and director of the university's Humans and Autonomy Laboratory, said the platooning concept makes a lot of sense and is achievable, but it suffers from a lack of investment from the stakeholders who would benefit the most from it. Cummings, who keynoted the second day of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' EDGE 2017 conference in Atlanta, did not address the issue of individual driverless, or driver-assisted, commercial vehicles plying the nation's roads.

Cummings also predicted the development of highly automated "super-dispatch" centers that will function like control towers to manage the movement of vehicles and their interaction with intelligent roads.

Cummings, who co-chairs the World Economic Forum's Council on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, said concerns that advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics will displace millions of workers are overblown. Human thought becomes critical during periods of crisis and uncertainty, she said. AI programs, she added, "don't understand the concept of the world around them" or the context and nuances affecting decisions, she told the conference.

Cummings also said that the push to embed more robotics in warehouses and distribution centers will be hamstrung by the lack of qualified robotics maintenance technicians to repair problematic machines. Robot maintenance is very complicated, she said, and companies are way behind the curve in maintaining the new and complex equipment.

  • Related Articles

    Volvo Trucks, FedEx test platooning truck technology

    Demand management needs to incorporate more than just planning and fulfillment, says Gartner

    Report: logistics sector will rise to second place in use of collaborative robots by 2023

Recent Articles by Supply Chain Quarterly Staff

EDGE Conference is heading to Nashville

Newest podcast series focuses on supply chain technologies

Complete the 2023 CSCMP 3PL study

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Is it time to blow up S&OP?

  • Logistics pros warn of business impact from Russia-Ukraine war

  • How to build a supplier diversity program that will drive long-term impact

  • Supply chain’s miracle workers

  • Container prices continue to drop

Featured Video

Cccb7d13 710a 4473 8132 da8b6cc286f1

The Sportsman's Guide Case study: Increasing Accuracy & Productivity

Viewer Contributed
Thanks to the Lucas Warehouse Optimization Suite, The Sportsman's Guide has increased productivity, reduced training time, and experienced a boost in accuracy for both full-time staff and seasonal employees. Want to learn how Lucas can help your DC be more efficient, accurate, and safe while reducing labor costs?...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Omnitracs One – Last Mile Solutions

  • The enterprise shipper's guide to building a smarter truckload RFP

  • Fixed vs. Flexible Automation: Which Option is Better for 3PLs?

  • Enhancing Relationships in Logistics through Data & Collaboration

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2022. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing