ATRI Survey Seeks Feedback on Truck Safety Tech

ATRI Survey Seeks Driver Input on Safety Technology

The ATRI Survey is seeking feedback from truck drivers and motor carriers about onboard safety technologies and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The research is part of the FMCSA-sponsored TechCelerate program and aims to better understand how drivers and fleets view the benefits, challenges, and adoption of these technologies across the trucking industry.

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) is conducting the survey alongside the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) and the OOIDA Foundation. According to ATRI, the findings will help researchers compare current industry perspectives with data collected during an earlier TechCelerate study conducted in 2023.

What the ATRI Survey Is Studying

The research focuses on onboard safety systems that are becoming increasingly common in commercial trucks.

These technologies may include:

• Automatic emergency braking
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane departure warning systems
• Collision mitigation systems
• Other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)

Researchers are looking at both adoption rates and user experiences to better understand how these technologies perform in real-world trucking operations.

The new ATRI Survey will also allow the research team to compare today’s findings with the original TechCelerate survey completed in 2023. According to ATRI, the results may help improve industry messaging and address concerns related to truck safety technology.

What Carriers Are Being Asked

The motor carrier portion of the ATRI Survey focuses on fleet experiences with onboard safety technologies.

According to ATRI, carriers are being asked about:

• Which safety technologies do they prefer
• The safety benefits they have observed
• Driver acceptance of onboard systems
• Repair and maintenance issues
• Challenges associated with implementation
• Overall experiences using safety technologies in their operations

What Questions Are in the ATRI Survey for Truck Drivers?

The truck driver survey focuses on driver experiences with advanced driver assistance systems and collects information about the types of drivers participating in the research.

According to the survey, drivers will answer 13 questions about:

• Their type of operation, including owner-operator, company driver, leased operator, or independent contractor
• Age, gender, and years of driving experience
• The size of their fleet or carrier
• Whether they operate in the for-hire or private sector
• Their business model, such as truckload, less-than-truckload, or power-only operations
• The type of equipment they typically operate
• Their average length of haul
• Their awareness of the FMCSA-sponsored TechCelerate Now program
• Whether they have viewed TechCelerate Now materials or the program website
• Whether information from the program influenced decisions regarding safety technology adoption

The survey also asks drivers about their familiarity with onboard safety technologies and their experiences using these systems during everyday trucking operations.

Why the ATRI Survey Means to Truck Drivers

Truck safety technology continues to become more common throughout the trucking industry.

Many fleets now equip trucks with advanced driver assistance systems designed to help reduce crashes and improve safety. However, drivers often have firsthand experience with how these technologies perform under real-world conditions.

The ATRI Survey allows truck drivers to share their experiences directly with researchers studying technology adoption in the industry.

By comparing the new results with data collected in 2023, researchers hope to identify changes in adoption rates, driver perceptions, and industry concerns surrounding onboard safety technologies.

The findings could also help regulators, carriers, technology providers, and industry groups better understand how drivers view these systems and where improvements may be needed.

How Truck Drivers Can Participate in the ATRI Survey

ATRI says both surveys are now available online and should take approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

One survey is designed for motor carriers, while the other focuses specifically on truck drivers and their experiences with onboard safety technologies.

According to ATRI, responses will be used as part of the ongoing TechCelerate program, which examines technology adoption and operational issues throughout the trucking industry.