Uber took its self-driving truck on its first delivery run last month. The cargo: 50,000 cans of beer. Perhaps its unceremonious and non-glamorous first cargo delivery is symbolic of the truck’s status in the auto-tech world. While not as headline grabbing as other pieces we’ve run on automaton self-driving vehicles, these trucks might hit the market sooner, because of how much more practical they are and how much they are in need. Once upon a time, truck drivers held a valued — albeit underpaid — position in the global economy. So much so that the teamsters union propelled Jimmy Hoffa to one of the most powerful men in the America. But low wages have created a massive shortfall in drivers in an industry which hauls 70% of freight in the US — about 10.5 bn tonnes annually, according to Wired. The American Trucking Association pegs the shortfall at 48,000 drivers, and says it could hit 175,000 by 2024.

Beyond filling the gap, Long, overnight night hauls does not a safer highway make. Proponents of the technology argue that with 400,0000 trucks crashing each year, killing about 4,000 people, self-driving trucks will be a godsend. But drivers will remain a crucial part of the industry. Self-driving trucks will only remain on highways, with drivers required to take control in cities. They will also be there to supervise signing and making sure everything is smooth on the road in a manner similar to pilots managing their autopilot. If you’ve ever driven the Sokhna road at night, this technology may not be as scary as some of other Skynet stuff we’ve run.