How widespread is the use of AI in trucking? ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵunpacked AI adoption and key market patterns facing the industry at Transport Logistic in Munich.
Industry experts and investment decision-makers are in Munich, Germany, this week for Transport Logistic, the world's leading trade fair for logistics, mobility, IT, and supply chain management.
IRU, the world road transport organisation, presented the latest industry developments at an event organised by Upply during Transport Logistic.
Capacity and demand, cost inflation, decarbonisation, driver shortages and technology adoption ¨C five interconnected trends ¨C are increasingly impacting the profitability, efficiency and resilience of transport and logistics.
·¬ÇÑÊÓƵSenior Director of Strategy and Development Vincent Erard said, ¡°The shortage of truck drivers is a major challenge facing our industry and putting significant pressure on road transport capacity. We estimate that 426,000 truck driver positions are unfilled in Europe today, and it¡¯s only getting worse.¡±
¡°As more than a third of drivers are over 55 years old, around 550,000 truck drivers are expected to retire by 2029. This wave of retirements is unlikely to be fully offset by new entrants to the profession,¡± he added.
Few young people or women are entering the profession ¨C only 3.2% of drivers are women and just 4% are under 25 ¨C due to challenging work-life balance conditions, inadequate rest facilities and mistreatment at delivery sites, among others.
¡°The strain caused by the worsening driver shortage will be compounded by increasing freight volumes, which are projected to grow by 9% by 2030, putting even greater pressure on transport capacity,¡± highlighted Vincent Erard.
The trucking industry is also facing high cost pressures. For example, the total cost of ownership (TCO) increased by 24% in Germany, the second-biggest European road freight market, between 2021 and 2024.
The rise in TCO was driven by toll rates surging 83% in 2023 (mainly due to CO? tolls), fuel prices climbing by 19%, wages increasing post-COVID, driver shortages raising bargaining power, and truck prices nearly doubling over the past decade due to stricter emission standards, safety regulations and inflation.
Decarbonisation is putting additional pressure on road transport operators. Most policies penalise operators relying on diesel trucks (e.g. CO? standards, Eurovignette, ETS2), even though supportive incentives remain limited. Enabling conditions such as grid capacity, infrastructure and biofuel supply are lagging, preventing a widespread shift to alternative powertrains.
¡°It¡¯s simple: operators are not receiving the decarbonisation support they need to transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles,¡± said Vincent Erard.
At the same time, road transport is undergoing a major technological transition, driven by advancements in automation, electrification, data analytics and connectivity. They can all considerably alleviate industry challenges. AI is emerging as a key driver of this transformation.
·¬ÇÑÊÓƵhas surveyed more than 500 operators across 19 EU countries to explore AI usage.
Almost 90% of small operators (under 49 employees) ¨C which make up 98% of EU road transport firms ¨C are not using AI. Among companies with over 50 employees, 12% are using AI solutions today.
The primary reason for low uptake: AI is not seen as a priority. Other ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵresearch shows the top concerns for operators remain driver shortages, rising costs and regulatory compliance.
¡°It is reasonable to conclude that many companies do not yet view AI as a direct solution for improving efficiency or cutting costs,¡± said Vincent Erard. ¡°The second most cited barrier was financial. The initial investment in the technology, infrastructure and personnel is seen as too high.¡±
¡°It¡¯s worth noting that the two leading AI use cases, route optimisation and predictive maintenance, not only lower costs but also support reliability and fuel efficiency,¡± he added.
Even at this early stage, AI solutions are delivering concrete value. While successful implementation requires investment and change management, solutions are increasingly designed to integrate with existing systems, making wider adoption more feasible.
