Will Truck Drivers Disappear? Pepsi's Driverless Trucks Hit U.S. Roads

Equipped with Level 4 Autonomous Driving Technology
Achieves Punctual Arrival Rate of 99%

PepsiCo, the American food and beverage company, is accelerating the commercialization of next-generation autonomous trucks by introducing driverless trucks that operate without a human driver.

According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on June 8 (local time), 35 fully driverless Pepsi trucks are currently transporting snacks and beverages between factories, logistics warehouses, and retail stores on highways and regular roads in Arizona, USA. These trucks are equipped with the developing "Level 4" autonomous driving technology.

Pepsi's Level 4 Truck. Pepsi YouTube

Previously, Level 3 vehicles allowed autonomous driving only under specific conditions, requiring drivers to be prepared for unexpected situations. However, Level 4 vehicles can be automatically controlled at all times without human monitoring, making truly driverless operation possible. Pepsi is also operating an additional five driverless trucks in Texas and one in Arkansas.

Pepsi stated that since its autonomous trucks began operating on public roads, there have been no accidents. Jim Farrell, Executive Vice President at Pepsi, said in an interview with WSJ, "The current supply chain system in operation is not being tested in a lab environment, but in real-world situations," adding, "We are already running them as live networks at various sites."

According to Pepsi, the company's autonomous trucks have achieved a punctual arrival rate of about 99%, demonstrating a high level of reliability. Other advantages cited include exemption from current regulations that limit the daily driving hours of human drivers, and the ability to avoid truck driver shortages.

However, there are also considerable concerns about the introduction of autonomous vehicles. Pepsi has previously employed thousands of truck drivers in the United States to operate its logistics network, but the expansion of autonomous driving raises the possibility of workforce reductions. In fact, a significant number of Pepsi's truck drivers are union members, and these unions strongly oppose the commercialization of autonomous trucks. They are especially demanding regulations that would require a human supervisor to accompany commercial driverless vehicles.

Executive Vice President Farrell said, "The key to autonomous driving is that it provides a foundation to expand business without dramatically increasing employment," adding, "During peak seasons such as holidays, when it is extremely difficult to hire drivers, deploying driverless trucks can fill logistics gaps."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.