While autonomous freight is still a novel concept in the United States, the innovations associated with it have the potential to reshape the entire rail industry. For decades, rail has competed on cost-effectiveness in freight, while trucking has competed on speed and flexibility. With autonomous technology, such as Intramotev’s TugVolt trains, freight trains can now operate with the flexibility of a truck without breaking the existing model of rail operations.
Addressing Industry Gaps
Currently, gaps exist in first and last-mile freight transportation. Long-distance rail trips, such as those between Los Angeles and Chicago, are incredibly efficient. However, the system breaks down when it comes to delivering cargo in shorter distances and smaller markets (think Chicago to Gary, Indiana, or Peoria, Illinois). This results in goods stranded in railyards for days at a time until trains can be built long enough to move profitably. With autonomous rail, the train can decouple from a group of railcars to independently service individual locations. This will help the rail industry compete with trucking on the speed of delivery of goods while maintaining its advantage in cost savings and environmental impact.
A Quicker Path to Decarbonization
Autonomous rail also has the potential to accelerate the rail industry’s path to decarbonization. Battery-electric self-propelled rail cars often have zero tailpipe emissions and since these cars typically offer substantial fuel savings, there’s no “green premium” to buy into this technology. Railroads and other companies that use freight can enjoy the benefits and savings from day one of implementing the technology.
Improving Worker Safety
Autonomous rail also possesses many positive implications for workplace safety. For example, with an autonomous locomotive replacement like the TugVolt, workers can operate the train remotely in a climate-controlled environment, as opposed to the harsh environments that many locomotive operators are exposed to on railroads. Additionally, for many closed-loop rail systems, employees are expected to handle rail operations as an extra responsibility to their primary role. Autonomous freight allows these employees to keep focused on the work they do best, reducing opportunities for accidents on a site.
The future is bright for autonomous freight. With fast adoption, autonomy has the potential to be a massive opportunity for growth throughout the entire rail industry.
