In the not so distant past, it was only on television, in the movies or in our imagination that vehicles were equipped with artificial intelligence and able to drive by themselves. These futuristic vehicles could suggest alternative routes and communicate with the driver before a potential problem occurred. These were ideas for science fiction, not the real world. Fast forward to 2012: while the vehicles of today may not appear as advanced as those in some popular television shows and movies, in reality they are not far off.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the trucking industry. Innovative technologies have been vital to this industry for decades, from the development of the Interstate Highway System of the 1950s, to CB radios of the 1970s, to the mobile and satellite technologies of today. Motor carriers and the transportation industry as a whole are now incorporating features such as on-board safety systems, efficient routing software, virtual training simulators, state-of-the-art seating, driver cameras and predictive modeling, to name only a few. The benefits of these upgrades are apparent as they often more than pay for themselves by maintaining compliance with government regulators, increasing efficiency, and improving safety, thereby reducing expenses such as insurance costs, downtime and potential litigation costs.