The American truck driver is soon to be an endangered species. Some 3.5 million professionals get behind the wheel of trucks in the United States every year, making it one of the most common jobs in the country. In a couple decades, every last one may be out of work due to automation.
Industry giants around the world are investing in autonomous vehicles. In Australian mines, Rio Tinto employs hundred-ton driverless trucks to transport iron ore. Volvo is seeking volunteers willing to be ferried around London's winding streets with no one at the wheel. MIT researchers recently determined the most efficient way for driverless trucks to transport goods — something called “platooning.” The guy behind Google's first self-driving car now runs autonomous trucking startup Otto in San Francisco.
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