Autonomous trucking company Aurora has initiated its first regular long-haul routes with driverless trucks, making round trips between Dallas and Houston. Aurora’s commercial service, launched under customers Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines, no longer includes safety drivers after extensive testing phases.
The trucks are equipped with advanced computers and sensors capable of detecting objects over four football fields away. Over four years of practice hauls, the technology has delivered over 10,000 customer loads. As of the launch date, Aurora’s self-driving tech has completed over 1,200 miles without human intervention.
Aurora plans to expand its fleet by adding more self-driving trucks by the end of 2025. The company operates in states like Texas and California, popular testing grounds for autonomous vehicle technology. While some competitors, such as Kodiak Robotics, still use safety drivers, Aurora aims to lead the industry with fully driverless operations.
Safety concerns remain a critical issue, prompting Aurora to release a detailed safety report explaining its technology. Unions representing truck drivers oppose driverless technology due to potential job losses and safety risks.
— new from CNN