RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico—While connected trailers are critical in the coming era of autonomous vehicles, the good times have long been automatic—even in an 'iffy' market—at the recent Truck Trailers Manufacturers Association Annual Convention.
But the first featured speaker here at TTMA's 83rd edition, themed "Broad Horizons," risked spoiling the tropical dream venue by introducing something of a nightmare.
“Autonomous vendors always like to talk about the tractor. At UPS, we understand that the need for the trailer is just as important,” said Anthony Marshall, UPS vice president of maintenance and engineering, Transportation Fleet. “I always say this in our meetings: Nobody wants to be the first company on national TV with an autonomous tractor and a 53-foot trailer going down the road behind it on fire.”
Marshall’s credentials likewise got everyone’s attention—and likely a great deal sympathy. He’s responsible for the development of vehicle engineering specifications and maintenance procedures for more than 17,000 tractors, 84,000 trailers, and 23,000 converter dollies. And UPS operates some 18,000 alt-fuel and advanced tech vehicles in the U.S.
So when he went on to detail the critical role trailers will play in the autonomous vehicle revolution, people paid attention: Far from being passive cargo carriers, trailers are emerging as sophisticated technological platforms essential to the future of transportation.
Marshall emphasized that autonomous systems demand a holistic approach, where trailers are not mere attachments but integral components of a smart transportation ecosystem. Key technological innovations are transforming trailers into intelligent assets capable of supporting driverless operations.
Fitting the pieces
These critical trailer technologies, while evolving, are not entirely new or unheard of—they’re just not all essential for manual freight operations. At the heart of the smart trailer are advanced telematics systems that provide real-time data transmission, enabling comprehensive fleet monitoring. These systems track location, monitor trailer health, and generate automatic service requests when potential issues are detected. Wheel temperature sensors, tire pressure management systems, and brake wear monitoring represent just a few of the sophisticated diagnostic capabilities that are being integrated.
Electronic coupling technologies are particularly promising, Marshall explained, with solutions that can connect tractors and trailers in under seven seconds without driver intervention. These systems should be designed to ensure compatibility across diverse fleet configurations and support autonomous operations. This is especially true of yard operations, where autonomous pickups and deliveries have the potential for tremendous improvements in efficiency overall manual trailer movements.
“We don't have just one particular vehicle in our fleet, we don't just have one particular trailer in our fleet—we have 84,000, so it's kind of hard to know [the combinations],” he said. “Long term, coupling solutions have to have seamless integration.”
Safety remains paramount, of course. Therefore, to avoid making national news for the wrong reasons, autonomous trailer technologies likewise must provide redundant systems that can detect and communicate potential problems instantly.
And, again, with multiple equipment vendors using multiple technology and service providers, interoperability will be a critical challenge for large mixed fleets as vehicle autonomy spreads. Retrofitting vehicles adds another level of complexity.
Serious money
The economic implications are substantial.
Marshall again got the attention of the audience when he outlined the financial impact driven the expected range of cost benefits provided by autonomous shipping operations.
A 2024 McKinsey Co. case study suggests autonomous truck technologies could generate approximately $600 billion in market value by 2035, with trailers playing a pivotal role in achieving those efficiencies.
Marshall began exploring smart trailer technology with an eye on autonomy in 2017, the range of considerations is daunting, from what autonomous freight operations will mean organizationally, operationally, in the shop, and to customers.
And while all the signs point to the protentional for that McKinsey-level of payoff, getting there is another matter.
On just the driver side of the operational equation, reducing the challenge of driver recruiting and retention is an obvious benefit, as is removing driver hours-of-service restrictions. And a lot of truck hardware and support systems are built around a human driver’s needs—and that can be removed. On the other hand: Human drivers do a lot of vastly different things on every pickup and delivery, and autonomous systems will have to replace those eyes, ears, and experience.
Back to the burning trailer on the highway, for example: A driver with a fire extinguisher has to be replaced with a fire suppression system that can both recognize the problem and extinguish it.
“The ability for technology to be able fill in those gaps is very integral for us,” Marshall said.
UPS's approach demonstrates that trailer design is evolving from a purely mechanical consideration to a sophisticated technological platform. Sensors, communication systems, and intelligent monitoring are transforming trailers into active participants in transportation logistics.
Marshall's challenge to trailer manufacturers was clear: continue innovating, remain actively engaged in technological discussions, and recognize that your engineering expertise is crucial to developing safe, efficient autonomous transportation systems.
“As commercialization happens, be mindful of all launches,” he advised the TTMA audience in closing. “When launches happen, there's a lot of different eyes [on the new system]. Most importantly, from a trailer standpoint, understand the importance of the trailer’s role, and how it supports autonomous vehicles forward.”