IBM Shows Truckers Can Pull Their Weight On Climate Change

Smart use of technology could help improve the efficiency of trucks and lorries which have been blamed for the bulk of the carbon emissions from road transport, according to a report from IBM.

In a report called “Transcending Turbulence”, IBM states that haulage and truck manufacturers are under pressure to improve the sustainability of their operations. The IT company said that technology such as telematics could help improve the speedy servicing of vehicles and fix any defaults that could reduce efficiency.

“Today’s vehicle diagnostic techniques typically require the technician to physically connect to the vehicle,” IBM said. “However, it won’t be long before telematics capabilities enable remote diagnostics of a vehicle’s issues and use of remote patches when possible.”

A recent report from delivery company Deutsche Post DHL revealed that more than 80 per cent of all CO2 emissions from the company’s vehicles were generated on medium- to long-distance routes. The company also reports that levels of long distance road haulage could double by 2020.

According to the IBM report, 48 percent of respondents said that sustainability will become increasingly important over the next ten years driven by environmental and fuel efficiency standards and regulations.

“Truck transportation drives our economy; goods movement fills our stores and supplies our factories. But those benefits come with costs that are causing rapid change,” said Bill Van Amburg, senior vice president of CALSTART, an organisation focused on clean transportation. “That’s why IBM’s study is critical. It highlights the emerging needs of truck customers, the technical and environmental challenges for the industry and lays out a roadmap for clean and profitable growth for the future.”

Earlier this year, IBM said that it is partnering with companies such as Trafficmaster to develop technology to help motorists spend less time stuck in jams and to more accurately predict journey times. Systems such as Trafficmaster’s SmartNav route-planning tool, combined with mobile applications provided by operator 02, and making use of information compiled in IBM-drive databases are being combined to help commercial and private drivers to hopefully avoid traffic or at least know when it’s coming.

In September, the U.S. House voted on 16 Sept to extend another financial hand to the auto industry, approving $2.9 billion (£1.8bn) for green transportation research at the Department of Energy. “From passenger cars to heavy duty long-haul trucks, we are all aware of the economic, environmental, and strategic importance of diversifying our nation’s vehicle sector through innovation in cleaner and more efficient technologies,” Science and Technology Committee Bart Gordan (D-TN) said at the time.