Requirements for the automated loading and unloading of autonomous trucks: an interoperability perspective

Journal article, 2025

Purpose
With the introduction of autonomous trucks, loading and unloading (L/UL) can no longer be performed by the driver and new requirements on automated L/UL are imposed. Compared with many other applications of automation, automated L/UL entails multiple actors, including senders, recipients, and transport providers, and thus several requirements, as explored in this paper.

Design/methodology/approach
A multiple-case study method is applied consisting of three cases to explore requirements for automated L/UL across four layers of interoperability: organisational, legal, semantic, and technical.

Findings
Key requirements identified include organisational adjustments to automate or eliminate drivers’ tasks, legal aspects on load securing and liabilities, semantic alignment for common understanding among the actors, and technical infrastructure needed for automated L/UL.

Research limitations/implications
This paper emphasises the importance of automated L/UL for fully realising the benefits of autonomous trucks and considering organisational, legal, and semantic aspects beyond technical ones. The study is set in a context of stable transport systems as regards transport network and standardised unit loads.

Originality/value
Delving beyond technical aspects, it highlights crucial organisational challenges in automating L/UL and shifts in legal responsibilities among the actors of the supply chain. The paper also provides insights into actual industrial settings of automated L/UL. The development of a conceptual framework for identifying requirements and insights into interoperability provide guidance for engineers, managers, and researchers in designing automated L/UL.