Imagine a logistics supply chain where everything
is connected, with the truck at the center offering permanent tracking of the driver, truck and load, along with on-demand freight matching and seamless integration at shipper and receiver facilities. The potential productivity savings are mind-boggling.

Add to that the possibilities that greater connectivity would open up to improve driver safety and quality of life on the road. For instance, the truck could sense the driver is fatigued or nearing the end of on-duty time and automatically reserve a parking spot at a rest area and reroute the driver. Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity could reduce highway congestion.

Of course, much of the needed technology already exists. TravelCenters of America launched its Reserve-It truck stop parking reservation system four years ago. Transponders allow PrePass users to electronically bypass weigh stations across much of the country. Real-time shipment status tracking and digital proof-of-delivery and bill-of-lading documents have been in use by fleets for years. Remote diagnostics allow fleets and service centers to quickly react to equipment issues, and flashing-over- the-air technology is right around the corner.

What is lacking is a single platform linking all of these disparate technologies into a seamless, integrated network. This is the problem Daimler Trucks aims to fix, and their vision for the future of the connected truck may not be as far off as you think.

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