The transportation industry is at a crossroads. With nearly two gigatonnes of carbon emissions from heavy-duty trucks each year and over 139,000 semi-truck crashes in 2024 alone, US fleets are under increasing pressure to rethink their operations. Artificial Intelligence is emerging as the key differentiator, helping fleets optimize routes, reduce fuel usage, and enhance driver safety.
So let’s address the elephant in the room: Is AI taking jobs away from people? The reality isn’t so black and white.
In a webinar hosted by FleetOwner, EROAD’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Craig Marris, and Chief Data Science Officer, Dean Marris, discussed the transformative power of AI in fleet management. As Dean puts it: “AI will not replace people, but people using AI will replace the people that don’t. Businesses that embrace AI will become up to 35% more efficient in the next five years.”
Real safety improvements through AI
The most immediate benefit of AI adoption in transportation is safety. With distracted driving causing nearly 300,000 injuries in 2023 and resulting in $98 billion in damages, liability, and legal costs, transportation companies cannot afford to ignore these technologies.
AI-powered dashcams, like EROAD’s Clarity Edge AI Dashcam, utilize machine learning to detect fatigue, mobile phone use, rolling stops, and speed violations in real-time. The data presents a compelling case: 20% of fatal road crashes are caused by fatigue, and truck drivers are four times more likely to have workplace injuries from fatigue than drug use.
“99.3% of driver-related events would not have been detected with non-AI cameras,” noted Dean during the webinar. When implemented with clients, the results are dramatic—fleets typically see over 100% reduction in safety alerts after enabling AI coaching features.
AI-powered insights: Preventing breakdowns before they happen
Beyond safety, AI is transforming maintenance operations through predictive analytics. There now exists machine learning models that can accurately forecast system failures before they happen.
Gone are the days when fleet management meant reacting to problems as they come. Today’s AI systems are transforming reactive maintenance into proactive insights. Through analyzing thousands of data points in real-time, these intelligent systems can spot potential vehicle failures before they occur—preventing the need for emergency roadside repairs that cost fleets time and money.
One strong use case for this is in the cold chain sector, where Dean explained, “Using machine learning, we’re able to very accurately measure the simulated actual core temperature of products in refrigerated trailers.” By detecting temperature fluctuations early, fleets can take corrective measures before their cargo is compromised to retain product quality and compliance.
Sustainability & AI: The road to a greener future
As environmental concerns mount, AI is helping fleets navigate the path to sustainability without sacrificing operational efficiency. By tracking emissions in real-time, AI enables fleets to stay ahead of compliance requirements while still keeping up with accelerating industry demands.
Craig Marris emphasized how AI will be essential for meeting upcoming climate disclosure requirements. “Decarbonization is here, and fleets must show green credentials to customers, regulators, and investors,” Craig explained. “Good quality data leveraging AI capability will be a real differentiator.”
The future of zero-emission trucking is becoming clearer through AI-powered simulations. There are now tools that can turn abstract ideas into tangible, practical, data-driven strategies. AI achieves this by:
- Modelling the impact of alternative fuel adoption – Simulating fleet electrification to determine cost-effectiveness, delivery range, and infrastructure requirements
- Optimizing route planning to lower emissions – Minimizing idle time, fuel consumption, and unnecessary mileage
- Creating sustainability dashboards – Providing real-time tracking of carbon footprints to help fleets stay on track toward sustainability goals
By leveraging key insights provided by AI, fleet operators are empowered to make more informed decisions that can bring them closer toward achieving zero emissions.
The path ahead
AI is already driving measurable improvements for daily fleet operations. Whether it’s avoiding accidents, preventing costly breakdowns, or meeting evolving environmental regulations, AI is transforming challenges into opportunities.
Experts agree on one thing: AI adoption is no longer optional for transportation and logistics companies wanting to stay competitive. “It’s more than just reducing emissions.” Says Craig, “it’s about sustaining a financially healthy and resilient business during physical and transitional change.”
