Transportation Industry

Advances in electric vehicle battery technology are boosting how far cars can travel on a full charge. Other trends include 5G connectivity and ridesharing. Fully autonomous vehicles, though, are still years away from widescale adoption.

The International Maritime Organization has mandated reductions in greenhouse gas by 2030. Ships that burn fossil fuels will have to buy more-expensive low-carbon fuels or install exhaust cleaning systems. Other ships already are retrofitting to run on liquified natural gas.

Europe and Asia have the most advanced rail systems, including high speed and autonomous trains, as well as modern electric trains. The U.S. lags, largely because most passenger travel is by air or car. A key U.S. trend is positive train control (PTC), an automated safety system.

Emissions regulation is trending. There are rounds scheduled in the U.S. in 2021 and 2024 to further reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption in trucks/buses. In addition to converting from diesel to electric, OEMs look for ways to reduce weight and improve aerodynamics.