A recent study by the Road Haulage Association (RHA) found that the UK logistics industry will require 40,000 new HGV drivers annually for the next five years, due to growing demand and possible future driver shortages. Although operators and training companies are having success bringing through new recruits, the development of autonomous commercial vehicles offers a potential solution to ease the problem. Proponents of driverless vehicles say they offer a route to higher utilisation, reduced labour dependency and improved efficiency that could deliver transformational cost savings and productivity gains. Last month, eFREIGHT Autonomous, a consortium of experts in commercial vehicles and automotive technology, published the findings of a nine-month long study into the emerging technology. The report identified hub-to-hub motorway trunking between logistics centres, as well as short intermodal shuttle operations linking ports, railheads and distribution hubs, as the most viable starting points for early UK deployment. According to the consortium, these operations provide the clearest commercial and operational pathway because routes are predictable, interfaces can be controlled and benefits can be measured around productivity, utilisation, safety and emissions. Sir Vince Cable, Chair of the eFREIGHT Autonomous Consortium, said: “The UK now has a genuine opportunity to help shape the future of autonomous freight rather than simply importing solutions developed elsewhere. “The next step is to move from feasibility work towards structured real-world deployment trials.” Led by Voltempo, alongside Connected Places Catapult and Berkeley Coachworks, the consortium secured funding in 2025 through the UK Government-backed CAM Pathfinder Feasibility Studies competition delivered by Innovate UK and Zenzic. Since then, it has carried out workshops, seminars and customer visits with operators across the freight sector, while engaging with every major European truck manufacturer, alongside the Department for Transport (DfT), the Department for Business and Trade, Transport Scotland, Logistics UK, the Road Haulage