From what we know so far next comes the integration with Galnet news system and more advanced missions such as escorts and assassinations. This should be in Beta 2 See the last
newsletter.
The news system may guide your actions along with a contact system that will see you managing an address book of previous encounters. You'll go back to that one system where that guy buys that commodity at a high price, or fixes your pulse laser cheaper than anyone else.
Then there is the rating system (Beta 2). The missions you are offered will change depending on your reputation. Speaking of reputation, you'll be guided by your allegiance to factions, that will open up very interesting stories. Don't forget 'events' too. When the space station opens there are related missions (taking important personnel for the opening ceremony or just assassinating them which might even get you mentioned in Galnet and causing the mission system to request players hunt you down)
There's a whole bunch of stuff coming quite soon that will flesh out your story and guide your path far more than ferrying cargo back and forth. As an open universe though, if you choose to ferry cargo back and forth that's your own damn fault.