One of the most interesting questions on the subject of autonomous driving is the time horizon envisaged for its realisation. In purely technical terms, turning it into reality on the roads is already feasible within around five years. This time window corresponds to passenger car development cycles, where a possible start in 2020 is envisaged. Owing to the more complex factors for heavy commercial vehicles, the time horizon will however be rather longer – realistically an implementation is possible within ten years, also in view of the legal considerations that still remain to be clarified.

This short time period means this: Truck drivers currently aged around 50 will become familiar with autonomous driving during their professional lives. For all younger drivers it will one day become a day-to-day part of professional life – giving them the opportunity to work as transport managers.

The introduction of autonomous driving will not happen digitally from one day to the next, as development is continuously in progress: evolutionary stages are necessary to revolutionise goods traffic on the roads. In the coming years, in the same way as developments so far, new and improved assistance systems will prepare the clearly defined path to autonomous driving.