This fireside chat recap is from Day 3 of FreightWaves’ F3: Future of Freight Festival live event in Chattanooga, Tennessee. For more information on the event, click here.
FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: The Impact of Autonomous Trucking on the Freight Network
DETAILS: FreightWaves 3PL market expert Mary O’Connell chats with Frank Mabry, senior freight analyst for Torc Robotics, about the advantages of autonomous trucking for the middle mile.
SPEAKER: Frank Mabry, senior freight analyst, Torc Robotics
BIO: Mabry is a senior analyst for corporate strategy at Torc Robotics, the autonomous trucking subsidiary for Daimler Truck. Previously, he was president and founder of FM Consulting Group, where he provided expertise on software application design and product management. Other recent roles include senior management in information technology for supply chain solutions at Ryder System and strategic account manager for national accounts for Trimble Transportation.
KEY QUOTES FROM MABRY:
“For driver retention, you want to keep your driver closer to home so they can go home at night. So, why not let the autonomous truck do the heavy lifting on the middle mile?”
“Our core competency is building the software, building the trucks. We want to sell them to a trucking company. Their core competency [is] they know how to run freight. So, you’re not gonna see a Torc trucking company that’s out there. We want to stick to our core competency and then help [others] mold and collaborate with their different departments to build their freight network.”
“[T]here’s still a lot to do. The technology is still evolving, and you won’t see an autonomous vehicle go commercial until it’s safe. … For us, right now, we’re trying to get our name out there a little bit. We’ve had our head down perfecting the technology, working with Daimler and designing the truck for the chassis so that it is specifically designed for autonomous trucking.”
