The effects of autonomous truck adoption on industry: insights from a grounded theory analysis of interviews with industry professionals

Autonomous semi trucks (ATs) are poised to disrupt the trucking industry in the United States. The trucking industry is a complex network of shippers, carriers, and coordinators that are supported by a broad array of ancillary businesses. All of these stakeholders will be affected by widespread AT adoption. It is important for business professionals to understand the effects that ATs might have on their businesses. This way, they can move to meet these challenges and exploit opportunities that arise from AT adoption. This study draws on a grounded theory analysis of interviews with professionals across a wide range of positions that work in, and with, the United States trucking industry. The authors present six propositions about how the trucking industry and related industries will be affected by ATs. AT adoption includes implications for trucking safety, labor, roadway infrastructure, firms’ competitive advantage in their markets, business model changes for firms within the trucking industry and within related industries, and trucking costs.