Logistically Minded: Report says autonomous trucks are 'inexorable'

Manufacturers are enjoying a rare reprieve, as indices show rising global demand is reaching production lines around the world.Industry Week reports favorable monetary policy, increased corporate investment and high consumer confidence is combining to boost manufacturing indices in the U.S., Japan and Germany. China's production may be stabilizing, but these three industrial powers appear ready to pick up the slack for global supply chains.The spoils of economic growth are not limited to the industrial powers, however. Order books in the United Kingdom are at the highest level in almost three decades, according to The Guardian. Back across the pond, 2018 seems promising for U.S. manufacturers after Congress passed a tax bill promising extensive cuts to bolster cash flow. The Wall Street Journal predicts the bill will make "2018 the year of the deal" as companies find uses for their cash. The National Association of Manufacturers is similarly optimistic. Their latest Manufacturer's Outlook Survey shows the highest level of business confidence (94.6% positive) since the survey's launch two decades ago. In 2016, only 64.3% of respondents had a positive outlook on business, ThomasNet reports. A new report for Business Insider Intelligence analyzes the development of autonomous truck technology and how it could affect the trucking industry, then discusses obstacles to the technology's implementation.