5 Key Fleet Trends from the Road Transport Expo 2026
This year’s Road Transport Expo was awash with new innovations, developments, and solutions from major players right across the transportation & logistics industry.
From vehicle manufacturers, to fleets and their partners, the three-day exhibition at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire highlighted the significant rate of change in the transport sector - particularly as the industry grapples with AI, EV transformation, and emissions mandates.
sopp+sopp have worked with some of the UK’s best-known fleets and insurers for more than 20 years, helping them reduce the risk, frequency, and cost of road incidents - and manage collisions & claims end-to-end.
Here, we explore some of the key takeaways from the 2026 road transport expo, and what they tell us about the current priorities shaping the industry.
sopp+sopp & FleetScout at the Road Transport Expo
sopp+sopp and FleetScout exhibited our groundrbeaking, AI-powered damage detection technology - FleetScout AVI.
The technology uses easy-install camera systems at depot entrances & exits to intercept damage immediately as soon as the vehicle returns to site.
This helps fleets eliminate the risk of unreported damage - empowering them to schedule repairs quickly, avoid unplanned downtime, and reclaim costs from liable third-parties like agency drivers.
Installed at Tesco’s Peterborough distribution centre in late 2025, FleetScout has already helped the retailer achieve savings of more than 22% on annual damage costs.
Key takeaways from the 2026 Road Transport Expo:
From new-energy vehicles, to AI-powered fleet technologies, here are some of the key fleet trends the sopp+sopp team observed at this year’s Road Transport Expo.
1 - Alternative-power HGVs continue to gather pace
Among the many vehicles present at Stoneleigh park were some of the latest new-energy HGVs entering the market - showing the significant process commercial OEMs have made in recent years.
MAN Truck & Bus debuted its brand-new, 12-tonne eTGL and eTGX all-electric tractors, after much anticipation from a market very much feeling the weight of impending emissions targets.
Operators got the chance to get up close with the new technology - for many, their first time witnessing a practical, marketable battery-electric HGV beyond concept stage.
2 - The workforce challenge isn’t going away
Driver shortages & resourcing challenges continue to be a key talking point amongst operators and their recruitment & training partners.
An aging workforce, combined with retention issues, and high competition, are forcing many operators to take a new approach to both attracting and retaining driver talent.
3 - Data centralisation & AI were a cornerstone
The modern fleet has more data endpoints than ever - from telematics, to vehicle inspections, incident reporting, and compliance requirements.
One key theme at this year’s Road Transport Expo was data centralisation, particularly harnessing AI to consolidate & structure data from multiple sources in one place.
Another was visual AI - from automated damage detection, to machine learning-enhanced dashcams with the capability for drowsiness & alertness monitoring.
All-in-all, it’s safe to say that the AI ‘buzz’ has moved beyond speculation, and into reality, as fleets explore the real operational use cases their tech partners have to offer.
4 - ADAS remains a talking point as it becomes MOT essential
Since February 2026, all HGVs in the UK have been subject to ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) checks at MOT - with visible faults now leading to an instant failure.
This was a key talking point at this year’s expo, as many operators grapple with upcoming MOT deadlines for new-era vehicles with more complex ADAS systems & sensors present.
5 - International manufacturers challenge traditional OEMs
One thing that was clear from this year’s expo, much like the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC in May, is that international manufacturers like BYD have gained a significant foothold in the market.
From the long wheelbase BYD e-Vali van, to the eBus B11, and double-decker BD11, fleets had the chance to see first-hand some of the newest vehicles entering the UK market.
In Summary
The 2026 Road Transport Expo showcased the significant rate of change faced by the transportation industry.
From new-energy HGVs, to AI applications, recruitment challenges, and the complexities of advanced vehicle technologies - the 3-day expo served as a zeitgeist of the industry’s most significant opportunities and challenges alike.
Read more: Top 5 Fleet Tech Trends from the Road Transport Expo 2026