Roeth: How to evaluate new trucking technology without falling for the hype

From time to time, we all seek advice and counsel from others. With so much going on in the trucking industry, including rapid technological change and an ever-changing regulatory landscape, some of us may need to seek more input from outside sources.

Of course, it’s good to hear what other people think. Perhaps someone has experience with a new technology, powertrain, diagnostic tool, or regulation. The thing is, not all input is equal.

Manufacturers always try to put the best face on their products, so they focus their marketing efforts on their benefits. Fleet managers tend to be a little more pessimistic and discount those manufacturer figures. They are considering using their hard-earned money to buy them.

In NACFE’s Guidance Report, Electric Trucks – Where They Make Sense, Rick Mihelic, NACFE’s director of emerging technologies, cited a Harvard Business Review article titled  Eager Sellers and Stony Buyers: Understanding the Psychology of New-Product Adoption. John Gourville summarized a range of studies that highlight that a new technology would need to be three times better than the existing one to have the best chance of market adoption. Complicating this, producers of new technology often overvalue its benefits by a factor of three. In total, he states: “The result is a mismatch of nine to one, or nine times, between what innovators think consumers desire and what consumers really want.

I am not implying that manufacturers deliberately mislead fleets about the benefits of their products, but claims are often based on best-case scenarios.

That being said, speaking with the manufacturer of a new product or technology is a good place to start. And talking to other fleets is also part of a good strategy to learn how a product or technology behaves or might behave in the real world.

It is common for fleet managers to do some "desk research," i.e., search the internet, before contacting a manufacturer or another fleet. There's a lot of information available online, but not all of it should be given the same weight.

My children occasionally ran around with some not-so-great friends when they were younger. My wife, Letty, would always caution them: “If you sleep with dogs, you are going to wake up with fleas.”

It might seem a bit harsh, but I think that philosophy can also apply to information sources. The point I am trying to make here is that when you are researching a product or technology, make sure you vet the sources you consult and weigh the information you get from them accordingly. Sources that are willing to share test results or other data used to reach their conclusions should be considered more valuable.

Transparency is a big deal when evaluating data. If you are presented with survey results, make sure to ask about the number of people who participated and how the survey was conducted. Question their motivations in providing the data or information. How much do they truly know about the trucking industry? About your business within it? Are they capable of analyzing the data and accurately sharing how the product will improve your business? Are they being fair and honest with the challenges?

Failure to do this could result in a nasty case of fleas.