Automation status and roadmap scenario for heavy duty road freight vehicles regarding different application scenarios

The automation of heavy-duty trucks (HDT) is advancing rapidly, with features like adaptive cruise control and emergency braking already standard. Companies such as Daimler Truck, Volvo, and Scania are testing highly automated functions up to SAE level 4, while fully driverless trucks are being trialed in pilot projects, especially on long-distance routes or within industrial zones (e.g. TuSimple, Einride). These varying stages of development make it difficult to estimate market entry timelines for automation in the various road haulage application scenarios (alt.: operational scenarios) like long-distance highway transport, hub-to-hub transport or urban delivery. This paper provides an overview of current HDT automation status and proposes a roadmap for different application scenarios based on the complexity of their characteristics. It highlights key pilot projects and aims to support logistics stakeholders in planning for implementation. The study finds that automation is more feasible with high motorway shares and becomes more complex with unsuitable loading and unloading operations.