Highway Takes Top Spot in 2027 FreightTech 25 Ranking
The 2027 list highlights a growing industry shift toward AI orchestration and autonomous trucking solutions.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Robotics
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FreightWaves has named the 2027 FreightTech 25 list, a selection of companies recognized for innovation in the transportation sector. Highway secured the top position on the ranking for the third consecutive year.
Why it matters
The list highlights organizations solving systemic freight industry challenges, including operational inefficiency, equipment underutilization, and driver shortages through technological advancements.
The list includes four autonomous trucking firms and five companies specializing in AI orchestration and automation. Notably, C.H. Robinson now utilizes AI to execute 92% of shipments for customers outsourcing their transportation operations.
The players
Highway
A logistics technology provider that has secured the top spot on the FreightTech 25 list for three years running.
FreightWaves
A market intelligence platform that tracks and publishes data on global supply chain and freight movements.
C.H. Robinson
A major third-party logistics provider that currently automates 92% of its managed freight shipments through AI.
Henderson, Hutcherson & McCullough
An accounting firm that provides oversight and validation for the FreightTech voting process.
The details
An independent panel selects the top 25 companies from a pool of 100 candidates to identify current leaders in logistics technology. The voting process is overseen by the accounting firm Henderson, Hutcherson & McCullough to ensure institutional validation. These firms develop software to mitigate fraud, automate dispatching, and optimize routing to combat the industry-wide shortage of available drivers and idle equipment.
Timeline
October 27, 2026: FreightWaves announced the 2027 winners at the F3 Awards Dinner in Chattanooga.
The Tech Race
The 2027 list reflects a competitive shift toward autonomous trucking and AI-driven automation, which now account for nine of the top 25 spots. This indicates an industry-wide prioritization of machine-learning orchestration over legacy manual processes compared to the 2026 list.
Freight brokers and shippers will likely see increased adoption of AI-automated dispatching services and autonomous fleet solutions across the national supply chain. These technologies aim to improve delivery reliability and reduce costs for companies currently struggling with manual transportation workflows.
The takeaway
The sustained dominance of autonomous and AI-centric firms suggests that freight innovation is shifting from incremental software updates to full-scale operational replacement. Readers should monitor future FreightTech 100 cohorts to see if autonomous trucking market share continues to climb relative to standard freight brokers.
Further reading
Explore deeper trends in supply chain automation on our Robotics page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by FreightWaves.
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