Quarterhill Discusses Transport Modernization as U.S. Marks 70 Years of Federal Highways

On June 29, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, authorizing the creation of a 41,000-mile interstate network that now carries nearly 25% of U.S. automotive traffic and moves trillions of dollars in freight each year. As the nation marks 70 years since that landmark legislation, concerns over aging infrastructure, freight security, and safety for growing autonomous vehicle fleets have come into focus. According to AAA, 72.2 million Americans are expected to travel around Independence Day this week.

Among the companies working to modernize this legacy system is Quarterhill Inc., a Toronto-based intelligent transportation system (ITS) provider. Founded in 1992 as a wireless technology company, Quarterhill now develops AI platforms that process billions of transactions, inspect millions of commercial vehicles, and help transportation agencies optimize traffic across thousands of lanes worldwide.

Autonomous Freight: U.S. vs. Global Approaches

Tyler Haichert, director of ITS product at Quarterhill, told The Robot Report that the U.S. has become one of the most active environments for autonomous freight. Companies like Kodiak and Aurora are already running commercial corridors, benefiting from a regulatory framework that allowed technology to prove itself before rules were enforced.

“Other regions, including parts of Europe, have taken a ‘regulate first, deploy second’ approach. There’s logic to that model, but it comes at a cost. The U.S. is gaining operational experience and data at a pace that’s hard to replicate when technology is waiting on policy direction,” Haichert said.

Infrastructure Challenges for Self-Driving Vehicles

Haichert compared autonomous freight to trains, which operate on dedicated infrastructure with predictable schedules. “Autonomous freight has the potential to bring similar efficiency to the highway networks we already have,” he said, citing benefits such as longer operational windows, relief from driver shortages, and fuel savings through platooning.

However, he noted significant infrastructure questions remain. “Freight operators will capture significant cost savings, but public agencies will be left managing increased roadway wear, congestion, and the complexity of new networks.” He emphasized that autonomous technology will continue to scale rapidly, requiring infrastructure systems that can keep pace.

Managing a mix of autonomous trucks, platooning convoys, and conventional vehicles sharing the same lanes in real time, across changing weather and conditions, is enormously complex. Haichert also highlighted the heightened public safety responsibility of an 80,000-pound autonomous truck compared to a consumer robotaxi.

Regulatory Balance and Public Trust

In the U.S., technology is advancing faster than regulation in many areas of autonomous transportation, Haichert noted. “Regulators have generally allowed the industry to gather real operational data before implementing standards. That has helped produce a faster, more informed deployment cycle than a top-down regulatory model.”

As autonomous freight scales from pilots to permanent operations, pressure for standardized safety requirements will increase. “The challenge will be finding the right balance to allow for both innovation and consistent safety standards to instill public confidence,” he said.

Workforce Impact and Driver Shortages

Addressing pushback from organized labor, Haichert pointed to the ongoing driver shortage. The American Trucking Association projects a shortfall of 82,000 drivers in 2026. “The industry has a supply problem that autonomous technology likely won’t solve immediately, but there will continue to be strong demand for drivers, especially for regional and last-mile delivery.”

He believes effective autonomy will complement the existing freight ecosystem rather than replace it. “Cultivating public and industry trust will depend on proving not only that it’s safe, but also that it can address real-world operational challenges while continuing to support the broader transportation workforce.”

Quarterhill’s Role in Modernizing Infrastructure

Quarterhill’s primary customers are public transportation agencies responsible for keeping road networks safe and efficient regardless of vehicle types. Haichert explained that the company’s current work includes virtual weigh-station screening, traffic monitoring, and enforcement systems aligned with CVSA commercial vehicle safety standards.

“As autonomous freight becomes a larger part of that mix, the same infrastructure needs to evolve to be capable of identifying and processing AVs, communicating dynamic roadway conditions, and giving agencies the data they need to enforce standards on vehicles that may have no driver to pull over. That’s the problem we’re actively building toward with our agency partners,” he said.

The source for this article is https://www.therobotreport.com/quarterhill-discusses-transport-modernization-u-s-marks-70-years-federal-highways/.