The sudden announcement in January 2019 that Daimler was halting new investment in platooning came as a surprise; it would have come as an even great surprise just a few years ago. While the technology was once seen as the future of long-haul trucking, today it stands at atop a steep, slippery slope. Having promised much in terms of improvements in fuel economy, safety and efficiency, the real benefits of platooning are starting to become clear, with lower than expected operational rewards raising questions about its true viability….