The technology conversation at ACT Expo 2026 was broad, spanning autonomous trucks, software-defined vehicles, telematics and cleaner transportation. Yet one theme connected nearly every discussion: New technology must deliver a workable business case for fleets. Erik Neandross, president of Clean Transportation Solutions at TRC, said the industry is moving forward despite changes in policy, regulations and incentives. “We’ve seen a real shift to focusing on the financial viability and the value to customers,” Neandross said. “To me, that’s super exciting because that means we can start to scale. Once the numbers are there, then the rest should follow.” That focus on financial viability reflects a more grounded stage of technology adoption. Fleets may be interested in new capabilities, but long-term deployment depends on whether those technologies improve operations, control costs and keep equipment working. Autonomy moves toward commercialization Autonomous trucking was one of the technologies drawing increased attention at ACT Expo. According to Neandross, the conversation has progressed beyond controlled demonstrations. “The autonomy is starting to move from pilots, demos into commercialization,” he said. Neandross said panelists discussed plans to place hundreds or thousands of autonomous trucks on the road during the remainder of 2026 and into the first half of 2027. The next test will be what those deployments show after months of real-world operation. “I look forward to next year coming back to hear about those hundreds or thousands of trucks having now operated for a year or so,” he said. For fleets, deployment volume alone will not determine whether autonomy succeeds. The operational results will matter more, including reliability, integration and the ability to produce measurable value. Connectivity supports uptime The digital-vehicle discussion also extended beyond autonomy. Neandross pointed to advanced telematics, connectivity, over-the-air updates, vehicle-control software and system integration as parts of a broader digital frontier.