For Manifest 2024, supply chain and logistics experts gathered in Las Vegas in early February to connect with technology innovators from all walks of life. As you walk around the conference space, Manifest is unique in that it accommodates not just current, but next-generation systems and processes. Conversations on the show floor and on expert panels generated a wealth of opinions about what's working, what's going wrong, and where we should go from here.
This is my opinion from the perch of a driverless truck.
Some conferences focus solely on self-driving technology, where engineers may talk to each other, but end users are rare. The opposite is also true for conferences focused on maritime transport, whether by land, sea or air. End users are engaged in the here and now, with limited exposure to new solutions. Don't get me wrong. Any materialization of such events can become valuable.
In just three years since its founding, Manifest has created an environment where technology developers can engage with potential end-user customers, understand opportunities, and, importantly, face practical, real-world problems. I did.
Below are my reports from Manifest 2022 and Manifest 2023.
The 2024 event attracted approximately 5,000 participants from around the world. The organizers seemed to resonate with today's zeitgeist, with the exhibition area twice the size of his last year's conference.
In the self-driving truck field, only ISEE and Torc exhibited, which was a significant decrease from last year. However, attendees were represented by engineers and marketers from many autonomous driving system (ADS) truck technology companies. Long-haul companies testing driverless trucks were similarly well-attended, as were OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers active in autonomous driving.
For me, the best part of the manifesto was the many interesting conversations I had with thought leaders and colleagues. Here are some highlights.
ys logistics
EASE Logistics was founded 10 years ago as a third-party logistics company serving automotive, aerospace, and food and beverage companies. I spoke with the company's founder, Peter Colatra. He emphasized the value of humanity in what can often be a very impersonal industry. Our freight brokerage business has a responsive customer service model and a rigorous carrier vetting process. They have also blazed a unique path by allowing uncertified minority truck drivers to become certified (and thus load) by joining his EASE network. . This is an important example of that human touch.
EASE is actively working on autonomous driving. The company is deploying platooning trucks on the USDOT-funded I-70 Autonomous Trucking Corridor project. The initiative, managed by DriveOhio, leverages platooning trucks for revenue services and provides practical insights into platooning, including return on investment, performance in various weather conditions, potential for driver stress reduction, and operations inside and outside distribution centers. Evaluate the aspects. EASE is working with Kratos Defense, which provides platooning technology.
torque robotics
Torc is majority owned by Daimler Trucks. The companies will provide their technology to Daimler and allow buyers to access self-driving capabilities through Freightliner's (U.S.) OEM channel. Torc says it is building a scalable ADS in-house and will be manufactured at scale by Freightliner and other Daimler brands.
If your freight forwarder wants to go driverless, talk to your local dealer. This technology can be ordered with the purchase of a new truck. But not today. It's like 2027. Please be patient!
Daimler has made clear that it does not intend to compete with customers by operating freight directly, as at least one other OEM is planning with its autonomous platform.
I spoke with industry partnership leader Walter Grigg at Torc's Manifest booth. He emphasized that total cost of ownership is the way to differentiate in the market. “Remember what 'long' means,” he said. Daimler's support of Torc allows it to leverage its extensive history of service, parts and reliability through the Freightliner brand.
Walter shared that Torc is about to make an important new announcement regarding a new generation ADS platform that will define the company's commercial offerings. After all, if self-driving trucks are to roll off Daimler factory assembly lines within three years, most of the design and engineering decisions need to be made now.
Attend the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo this May to see Torc's bright new vehicles. Walter said there he plans to provide a demonstration of the new AV truck.
I see
Founded in 2017, ISEE has developed driverless yard truck solutions. On display at Manifesto was a new generation robotic arm system for connecting and disconnecting brake air lines between tractors and trailers.
ISEE is “building and developing a fully autonomous system to streamline yard movement of trailers and containers to reduce costs, improve safety, and provide companies with predictability in staffing as labor shortages continue.” introduced,” he said.
In February, ISEE announced commercial expansion in a 1.7 million square foot distribution center operated by Fortune 500 customers. The facility includes his 750-trailer staging bay, and his fleet of autonomous yard trucks allows him to operate around the clock in a variety of weather conditions.
At deployment sites, autonomous yard trucks integrate with existing yard management systems, warehouse management systems, and facility operations without the need for additional infrastructure. Facility operators continue to use the system to request the movement of materials within their facilities, similar to human-driven vehicles.
Unmanned Yard Tractor: Take Action
Autonomous Yard Tractor Space has been active for about 7 years. This was initially considered a “low-hanging fruit” since these vehicles do not drive on public roads. Although progress has been slower than expected, companies pursuing this use case are making steady progress. In fact, the garden tractor space seems to be accelerating this year.
Outrider recently announced that a “major Fortune 500 company” will use its technology to launch driverless operations this year, moving freight between logistics facilities and long-haul trucking using commercial Outrider systems. announced that they would be moving.
In 2023, Forterra was awarded a contract to provide self-driving yard trucks to Detroit Freight Facility's Truck Specialist Information Services and delivered two self-driving yard trucks to TSIS in August 2023. Additional deliveries are expected to take place in 2025.
Both companies attended the manifesto.
Move EV and AV trucks
The Manifesto's educational sessions focused on a panel format. I had the pleasure of chairing the “Regulation and Collaboration – Accelerating EV and AV Adoption” panel and interacting with some of the biggest names in the industry. The panelists are:
>> Matt McLelland, Vice President of Sustainability and Innovation, Covenant Transport
>> Sean Waters: Vice President, Product Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, Daimler Trucks North America
>> Matt Schlapp: CEO, Harbor Trucking Association
>> Ariel Wolf: Partner and Chair, Autonomous, Electric, and Connected Mobility, Venable LLP / General Counsel, Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association
It is very difficult to talk about both EV and AV in one short session. However, this was a unique opportunity for him to explore the interaction between these two technologies, with players with experience and deep knowledge of both fields.
The first challenge was to dispel the potential misconception that all self-driving cars are electric. EV does not depend on AV, and AV does not depend on EV. These can be combined depending on your logistics needs.
Our group initially debated macro dynamics: government push versus commercial pull. EV or AV, what is driving this field?
Matt Schlapp, who is deeply involved in EV projects in California's port environment, said much of the push is from the government. He added, “Shippers want diesel rates for EV trucks. Charging infrastructure is a critical component, because without it the trucks won't move.”
Sean Waters agreed with the government's push, but extended the discussion to the interplay of product, infrastructure, and total cost of ownership (TCO). “Everything is a challenge, but the biggest challenge is infrastructure,” he said.
Sean also announced the newly formed Powering America's Commercial Transportation company.
The PACT coalition, founded by Daimler Truck North America, Navistar, Inc., and Volvo Group North America, was created to provide a unified voice on medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle infrastructure.
AV development is driven by commercial appeal. Matt McClelland explained the nature of Covenant operations. This fleet of trucks transports cargo quickly while driving the team's drivers. With 3,000 trucks, Covenant has the largest fleet of expedited trucks in the United States. When fully utilized, the Covenant always carries more than 900 bags. He said: “The advantage of AV is that in theory he can maximize usage for up to 22 hours per day.” He continued, “Our customers don't care how their package arrives. They don't care whether it's a driver, an AV, or a squirrel driving a truck. , we just want to get the package there. AV is not driven by the customer, it's driven by asset utilization and TCO optimization.”
I asked Ariel Wolf to update me on the current situation in Washington regarding autonomous trucking regulations. Ariel said the process stalled after the USDOT issued “guidance” in 2018 that current Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations do not require the presence of a human driver. Since then, the wheels have turned within the USDOT, moving beyond guidance and toward regulation. Where are we now? “The proposed federal regulations, first developed in 2019, have now been submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget,” he said, suggesting this is a major step forward. But, of course, he warned: “Politics is involved at both the state and federal level. Phones are exploding.”
Proposed federal regulations to allow autonomous trucking are expected to be released this spring, according to RollCall.com.
Much more was discussed. A video of the panel can be viewed here.
summary
The manifesto provided an alchemy to benefit the key macro trends of electrification and autonomous driving. Road-based freight transport is likely to experience multiple inflection points in the near term.
By next year's show, we might be talking about the performance of real commercial driverless trucks transporting cargo across America. And they probably do it much better than squirrels.
Disclosure: I am an advisor and/or stockholder in the following companies: Forterra, Outrider.
follow me LinkedIn.
