Tesla Semi

Tesla's Innovative Tech Lands #7 on FreightWaves' FreightTech 25 List

FreightWaves' FreightTech 25 List

Tesla has made it on FreightWaves' top 25 FreightTech list thanks to its self-driving capabilities. Once again, Tesla has been recognized for the innovative features it includes in its vehicles. This time, an online website that focuses mainly on trucking has seen the next-gen automaker’s potential. 

“[Tesla] picked for the FreightTech 25 even without producing a Class 8 truck,” said FreightWaves in an article about the all-electric car maker. The article explained the Tesla's reason for being on the FreightTech 25 list, revealing that the automaker’s innovative tech was ultimately the reason the company made it on the list once again. 

Tesla’s self-driving technology could be a blessing for the trucking business, stated the website. According to FreightWaves, there are currently driver shortages in the trucking business because the appeal for the job is waning. 

CONGRATULATIONS @elonmusk and @Tesla for landing the number 7 spot on the FreightWaves’ FreightTech 25 list, $TSLA

We can now add the freight industry to the list of industries Tesla has disrupted. https://t.co/cSQB7mxIOM

During the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) listed driver shortage as the top-rated issue in the trucking industry. Based on ATRI’s research, trucking fleets are having a hard time hiring and retaining qualified drivers, reported Bulk Transporter

The driver shortage seems to go past the borders of the United States, too. Trucking shortages are happening in Australia and other countries, as well. The main reason for people’s waning interest in the trucking business seems to be safety, which is why Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving suite are so important. 

Much like the Models S, 3, X--and soon Y--the Tesla Semi will have Autopilot, Full Self-Driving capabilities, and built-in dash cams to keep drivers safe. So, Tesla’s innovative self-driving tech could quell people’s worries about becoming a truck driver. 

Other than the automaker’s self-driving technology, FreightWaves named Tesla’s influential business model as another reason for its place on the FreightTech 25 list. One of the most interesting aspects of Tesla’s business model seems to be its direct sales to customers, which completely removes the need for dealerships. 

"Research shows that consumers are not a big fan of dealerships overall, so if you give people a chance to bypass the dealership, they get excited. And they can control better all their costs and processes. So, they know when the car is going to be built when it will be delivered. A traditional OEM doesn’t control all the steps like that,” said Augusto Amorim, senior manager for American vehicle sales forecasting at research firm LMC Automotive. 

Overall, Tesla’s other facets are starting to be recognized by the public. Just recently, TIME magazine named the Model S one of the 10 Best Gadgets of the 2010s for its next-gen features. 

Tesla’s influence continues to grow in other sectors of the business industry, as well. For instance, power tools companies have been making plans to create more sustainable products for their customers. Tesla’s existence is showing the public that it's time to move on and change—not just the auto industry—but the world.

Featured Image Credit: Tesla

H/T: @JohnnaCrider1  

About the Author

Claribelle Deveza

Claribelle Deveza

Longtime writer and news/book editor. Writing about Tesla allows me to contribute something good to the world, while doing something I love.

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