Happy New Year!

I guess... Even though it's been a month, now...

It’s been a while since my last newsletter edition.

Sorry about the lull. But things got a little crazy -- both personally and professionally as 2025 headed into its final months.

I’m sure you can relate. 

But I’ll try to do better this year!

That mea culpa out of the way, let’s see what the first month of 2026 has delivered so far for the North American trucking industry!

So Far, So ’Meh'

So far, 2026 is starting off about the same way 2025 ended: With beaucoup economic uncertainty.

At CES 2026 (more about that in a second) McKinsey & Company analyst Moritz Rittstieg straight-up said to expect more economic pain in the first half of the year.

Things might get better in the second half of 2026, he added. But it sounded like he was trying to talk himself into believing that.

And Noregon Systems released an excellent white paper that pretty much says the exact same thing.

However, the Noregon paper goes a bit further and suggests that in addition to current economic pain, North American trucking might be on the verge of a once-in-a-century. technology-driven shift in how fleets operate.

And late in December, Heavy Duty Trucking editor Deborah Lockridge published her own overview of where things stand as the industry strides bravely into the new year.

The Robot in the Room

Nowadays, my new year generally kicks off with a plane ride to Las Vegas and a week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Tip of the hat to Scott Fosgard and his excellent team at the House of Journalists for making that trip a reality – and for providing a host of exclusive pass car and trucking press conferences for attending journalists.

You really never know what you’re going to see at CES. But, it’s usually something completely out of left field that you aren’t even remotely expecting.

And this year didn’t disappoint.

Hyundai Motor Company pretty much blew everyone’s minds with the debut of a new line of Atlas, humanoid industrial robots.

These robots are autonomous and designed to work in a wide range of industrial applications, including manufacturing and logistics.

And the reveal wasn’t just for show, either. Hyundai said it intends to have 30,000 of these machines building cars in its factories by 2028.

This was pretty mind-blowing stuff, as I noted this week in my supposedly monthly Truck Tech blog. And worrisome, too.

I mean – it’s not like we humans haven’t let a couple of pretty vicious technological monsters out of the lab without seriously thinking the consequences through. (Looking at you, Social Media and Artificial Intelligence.)

But hey – the robot gave the audience a cheery wave and everyone clapped!

So, I’m sure everything will be just fine!

New Safety Technology

Still, if you love technology, there’s no better place to be than CES in January.

And, thanks again to the House of Journalists, I got another look at some of the new tech you can expect to see in your fleet operations soon.

For example: You’ve probably never heard of a company called Gentex Corporation. Even though you’ve been using their automatic-dimming rear-view mirrors for years.

Now, the company has developed a new line of digitally dimmable, see-through sun visors and anti-glare rear-view mirrors. Both technologies have obvious safety advantages for fleets and truck drivers alike.

Autonomous Trucks Rising

Circling back to McKinsey & Co. for a moment, during his presentation, Moritz Rittstieg noted that now, more investment dollars are flowing into autonomous vehicle technology than EV technology.

That’s a complete, 180-degree reversal from trendlines over the past several years. And it’s really not hard to figure out why that is the case.

But, the overall point McKinsey is making is that this sudden influx of capital into autonomous trucks is a sure sign that momentum in that tech space is building fast.

As I noted in the report I filed from CES:

No longer are people speaking about self-driving trucks in a purely speculative manner.

Instead, there is a new focus on what’s investable and what possibilities are becoming viable as autonomous technology approaches the dawn of real-world commercial operations.

Kodiak and Bosch Team Up to Scale Autonomous Truck Production

One of the biggest trucking-related press announcements at CES proves those McKinsey folks know what they’re talking about.

Kodiak and Bosch announced a new partnership aimed at moving the manufacturing and deployment of autonomous trucks from a handful of units a year to thousandsof trucks a year.

It’s a pretty significant deal. And one that points to autonomous trucks moving into mainstream fleet operations a lot sooner than many people expect.

A Road-Radar Breakthrough

Speaking even more about autonomous vehicles, lidar has long been considered the key technology driver that allows self-driving vehicles to “see” the world around them.

But now, a company called Athomatic says it has made a technological breakthrough that will create a space for advanced radar systems in autonomous vehicles.

Real-Time Mapping as ‘Operational Intelligence’

Another cool announcement, courtesy of the House of Journalists, came from a company called HERE Technologies.

Like Gentex, the company has been a behind-the-scenes technology provider for the automotive industry for decades.

Now, it is moving to the forefront with a new, fleet-focused navigation system that provides carriers and drivers with detailed, real-time mapping solution.

(3) Here Technologies' Fleet-Focused AI-Mapping System - YouTube

What makes this app unique, the company said, is that it is continuouslydated, cloud-connected map that ingests sensor data from vehicles around the world — video, radar, lidar, and driver feedback — and reconciles it with its existing view of the road.

Let’s End This on an Old-School Trucking Note

If you know me, you know I’m a history geek of the first order.

So, as I show myself to the electronic door here, allow me to leave you with my latest Great American Trucks feature story.

This time, I’m taking a look at the mighty GMC Deuce-and-a-Half – a truck that played a vital role in helping the U.S. and its allies win World War II.

Until next month – Hold ‘em in the road.

— Jack Roberts