A look into the future to see how self-driving cars will change truck advertising

Autonomous cars will no doubt be a driving revolution but as they become more prevalent in society how will it affect your truck advertising campaign?

This blog post will explore;

  • What are autonomous vehicles?
  • The future driver and passenger state of receptiveness to advertising
  • Automunus trucks? How will that change how we source our haulier partners?

What Are Autonomous Vehicles?

An autonomous vehicle is a vehicle that can sense the environment around it and navigate through without human intervention. Commonly known as Self-driving vehicles, robocars or driverless vehicles.

Future applications could include;

  • Driverless cars

You might be able to jump in your car, tell it a destination then relax and unwind as you’re driven smoothly to your destination. No more road rage or accidents.

  • Delivery bots

Delivery bots are already delivering the takeaway orders to the residents of Milton Keynes, Uk.

  • Robo-trucks

What’s the biggest expense that hauliers face after fuel? That’s right the driver.  Now you can see why many are keen for the introduction of autonomous trucks, they will have lower operating costs, potentially lower insurance costs (as accidents, in theory, are reduced) and save fuel as the autonomous truck will always drive at the optimum level ( No over acceleration etc).

Driver and Passenger Advert Receptiveness

Assuming that current trends in autonomous vehicles continue, i.e that a driver must be able to take control in an instant’s notice and have both hands on the steering wheel at all times it is our view that for at least the driver, truck advertising will be as if not more receptive to them.

However, should trends continue and more and more of the drive is done by the autonomous vehicle we could actually a vast increase in receptiveness, recall and response as more of the car (Its passengers- now 1.66 rather than 0.66 in the average car ) is able to complete the response then and there.

The design of autonomous cars could play an important part of this too. An open car makes it easier for passengers to spot truck advertising for examples.

Evidentially we won’t know until autonomous vehicles become more widespread what the effect is. ultimately it will depend on the laws imposed to keep up with the changing technology.

How Autonomous Trucks will change things

Driveless trucks will certainly change how we operate, for instance, will autonomous trucks travel together in packs? To reduce the computing power and resulting emissions, as computers are easier to predict than humans when it comes to driving.

This would mean only the last truck in the “road train” would be any use to our advertisers, which truck “pack” together today they move apart relatively quickly due to the changing road conditions, wherein this scenario it would stay fixed.

There are still lots of unanswered questions with autonomous trucks.