SemiAutonomous Truck Market

Semi-Autonomous Truck Market Size

The global semi-autonomous truck market size is anticipated to see strong growth from 2025 to 2034, driven by increasing demand for green freight solutions, increased investments in intelligent transportation infrastructure, and advancements in sensor technologies and artificial intelligence (AI).

As reported by the International Energy Agency (IEA), while they represent under 8% of the entire vehicle fleet (excluding two- and three-wheelers), buses and trucks are responsible for more than 35% of direct road transport CO2 emissions. This calls on governments and private actors to expedite the rollout of semi-autonomous technology to lower fuel usage and increase operating effectiveness. These vehicles are not only solving the problems of driver shortages and fatigue for long-distance driving but also enabling logistics providers to achieve carbon neutrality with the integration of semi-autonomous driving with hybrid and electric powertrains.

Increasing regulatory backing for intelligent transport systems is additionally driving market growth. As the European Union imposes strict emission regulations and the United States' Inflation Reduction Act accelerates the transition towards cleaner transportation technology, semi-autonomous trucks have become the most important facilitator of cleaner logistics. Fleet managers are making significant investments in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), platooning, and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication systems to achieve greater fuel efficiency and shortened delivery times. As artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies develop, these trucks are being made smarter, safer, and more fuel-efficient, and thus an investment prospect for commercial fleets globally.

Semi-Autonomous Truck Market Trends

One of the key trends redefining the market is the speedy development of ADAS, such as predictive cruise control, traffic jam assist, and advanced lane-keeping systems. These capabilities are not just enhancing road safety but also facilitating effortless integration with real-time data and maps, which allows operators to achieve route optimization, stay away from traffic jams, and enhance delivery timelines. Further, with the advent of 5G connectivity, the rollout of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications is rapidly gaining ground, which allows cars to communicate with other vehicles, traffic lights, and the roadside infrastructure in real-time.

Another major trend is the widespread adoption of over-the-air (OTA) software updates among semi-autonomous trucks. OTA updates enable producers to remotely push new safety features, performance upgrades, and diagnostics, which saves on maintenance and downtime. This greatly enhances the lifecycle value of commercial vehicles and supports real-time compliance with evolving safety and emissions regulations.

In addition, the shift toward alternative energy cars is bringing synergy with semi-autonomous technologies. Numerous OEMs are constructing electric and hydrogen-fueled semi-autonomous trucks to achieve zero-emission requirements.

Semi-Autonomous Truck Market Analysis

The market, especially the heavy-duty trucks segment, is anticipated to experience significant growth up to 2034. Heavy-duty trucks with level 2 or level 3 autonomy are becoming increasingly used for long-haul logistics because they have the potential to enhance safety, lower driver fatigue, and minimize fuel usage. They come equipped with features like automated emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control (ACC), blind spot detection (BSD), and lane-keeping assist (LKA), which are quickly becoming common in high-end truck models.

Furthermore, telematics and AI-powered fleet management tools are making it possible for logistics providers to track driver behavior, monitor vehicle performance, and schedule predictive maintenance. This has improved vehicle uptime and reduced total cost of ownership (TCO), further accelerating adoption among large freight operators. With e-commerce and just-in-time delivery models on the rise, the demand for high-performance, semi-autonomous heavy-duty vehicles is fast turning into a logistics imperative.

On a components basis, the semi-autonomous truck market from ultrasonic sensors segment is projected to experience significant growth during 2024-2034. Ultrasonic sensors offer short-range detection functionality necessary for parking, blind-spot object detection, and maneuvering in compact spaces. They are particularly useful in low-speed applications like distribution centers, warehouses, and cityscapes. In addition to ultrasonic sensors, radar, LiDAR, and high-definition cameras are finding growing use as components of the sensor fusion strategy in semi-autonomous car systems.

Advances in sensor calibration and processing capabilities have allowed for higher precision and responsiveness, leading to lower false alarm rates and better vehicle control. This integration of sensors is taking center stage during the transition from level 1 to level 3 autonomy on both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicle platforms.

Regionally, the Asia Pacific semi-autonomous truck market is expected to be a leading player over the forecast period. Industrialization, an increase in regional trade corridors, and an intensified focus on developing smart cities across nations such as China, India, South Korea, and Japan are fueling fertile ground for semi-autonomous truck adoption. The growth of e-commerce and third-party logistics (3PL) markets throughout the region has hastened the need for technologically sophisticated delivery fleets.

China, for instance, is pumping money into autonomous driving technologies under programs such as "Made in China 2025," which encourages smart and networked vehicles. India's Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced pilot projects looking into semi-autonomous technologies for lowering road fatalities as well as efficiency in transport. The Japanese government, on its part, is making public-private partnerships to pilot autonomous trucks on highways with the aim of a massive rollout over the next few years.

Semi-Autonomous Truck Market Share

Major companies in the semi-autonomous truck industry are:

• Valeo
• Scania (Volkswagen Group, Traton)
• Intel Corporation
• JSC Kamaz
• PACCAR Inc.
• NVIDIA Corporation
• Qualcomm Incorporated
• ZF Friedrichshafen AG
• Tesla, Inc.
• DENSO Corporation
• TuSimple
• Didi Chuxing
• Siemens AG
• TomTom International BV
• Volvo Group
• Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Daimler Truck AG
• Aptiv PLC
• NXP Semiconductors
• Continental AG
  

All these organizations are investing heavily in R&D to improve autonomous car capabilities and also in strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

Some companies are building partnerships with 5G operators and cloud computing systems to enable real-time data sharing and predictive analysis.

Semi-Autonomous Truck Industry News

• In January 2025, Kodiak Robotics, an autonomous vehicle technology firm, celebrated a milestone by becoming the first to ship a driverless semi-truck to a client. The buyer, Atlas Energy Solutions, had been working alongside Kodiak on driverless operations since last July.
  
• In February 2025, generative AI firm Waabi partnered with Volvo Autonomous Solutions to jointly develop and deploy autonomous semi-trucks. As part of the collaboration, Volvo will incorporate Waabi’s virtual driver technology into its VNL Autonomous truck model, which is set to be produced at the company’s New River Valley assembly facility in Virginia.