These days, conversations about the many ways that artificial intelligence (AI) will affect society are hard to escape. Whether it be in employment, productivity, data analysis, medical care, or even the creative arts, the topic of AI seems to crop up just about everywhere.
The long-haul and freight transportation sector is no exception. Over the past few years, some of the leading companies within this industry have conducted comprehensive, in-depth explorations into the role AI could play in improving not only the safety of their own drivers, but the safety of all those sharing the road with their vehicles.
Take, for example, Challenger Motor Freight, one of the largest transportation firms in Canada. Recently, Challenger has invested a considerable amount of time and capital into exploring how AI can assist in the realm of safety, and the conclusions it has reached have been promising, to say the least. “The benefits of integrating AI into our operations are not years down the road, but are available for implementation right now. In fact, we’re already using quite a few of them,” comments an official spokesperson for the company. “What we have discovered will be instructive for the trucking industry on the whole. It will undoubtedly save lives and prevent injuries.”
After substantial testing, the company found eight areas where artificial intelligence provided critical enhancements to its ongoing campaign of fleet safety.
Predictive Maintenance
Challenger Motor Freight uses AI to check data from vehicle sensors to predict mechanical problems before they happen. This helps in the scheduling of mechanical maintenance ahead of time, preventing breakdowns and accidents. It also reduces downtime and cuts maintenance costs.
Driver Behaviour Monitoring
The company also harnesses AI-powered systems to monitor how drivers behave in real-time. They look for risky actions like hard braking, fast acceleration, and distracted driving. These systems provide a wealth of feedback, which the company then uses for personnel evaluations, as well as training programs to help drivers improve their safety and performance.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
Challenger’s trucks have AI integrated into the on-board safety features of their trucks. Lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and collision avoidance all help drivers to avert potentially harmful situations on the road. These systems process data in real-time in order to help reduce human errors, making the roads and highways safer for everyone who uses them.
Route Optimization and Traffic Management
AI algorithms help Challenger Motor Freight’s drivers plan the best routes using up-to-the-second traffic data, weather conditions, and road hazards. This serves to minimize dangerous driving conditions and improves overall safety. It also makes travel more efficient and saves time, which carries the added benefit of reducing fossil fuel consumption and ultimately helping the environment.
Accident Prevention and Analysis
Machine learning analyzes huge amounts of past accident data to identify high-risk areas. Challenger then takes this information and uses it to put in place preventive measures in these trouble zones. These data-driven insights often discern patterns that human beings have not, and enable the company to proactively address safety issues before they lead to preventable incidents.
AI-Enhanced Training Programs
AI-driven simulators provide realistic scenarios and feedback for driver training. These programs are personalized based on each driver’s past performance data. These simulator sessions help drivers learn and improve their skills within a secure setting. The actions they take within the simulations are then evaluated by a team of veteran drivers and company representatives, and the results are reviewed and accompanied by helpful advice from trusted teammates.
Real-Time Alerts and Notifications
One of the main hazards with long-haul freight trucking is the unpredictability of factors like weather and traffic. The AI systems used by Challenger give their drivers alerts about hazards such as roadblocks, severe weather, or nearby accidents as they occur. This greatly helps drivers respond quickly to ever-changing conditions by giving them as much notice as possible, giving them more time to react appropriately and improving their overall situational awareness.
Compliance and Regulatory Adherence
Finally, automated compliance checks ensure that Challenger Motor Freight’s fleet of vehicles meet all applicable safety regulations, government standards, and laws. AI tools keep detailed and accurate records of maintenance, driver hours, and safety inspections, which virtually eliminates the risk of non-compliance. This serves to enhance truck safety, while also ensuring the avoidance of any accompanying penalties for negligence or non-compliance.
As artificial intelligence keeps advancing, it’s clear that it’s changing the trucking industry for the better. Challenger Motor Freight’s use of AI demonstrates how new technologies can make the roads safer for everyone by giving information and assistance to the drivers of big rigs and heavy trucks. “Our work with AI is already showing great results. It is our intention to keep leading the way for safety in the trucking industry,” says the spokesperson for Challenger Motor Freight. “And that means continuing to invest in better AI tools as they become available.”