Autonomous commercial technology developer Aurora Innovation, Inc., has successfully launched full-fledged freight services using self-driving trucks in the US. With the commencement of commercial trucking services, Aurora has become the first company to operate driverless services on public roads in the US. Check out Aurora’s self-driving truck navigating highways in the video below.
Aurora is an autonomous vehicle technology company we reported on here and there over the past several years as it evolved into a bona fide self-driving truck service provider. In 2019, the company acquired a LiDAR company called Blackmore, empowering it to develop a sensing suite capable of safely operating self-driving trucks at high speeds.
Since 2020, Aurora has been deploying Class 8 trucks integrated with its Aurora Driver technology, which contains its proprietary LiDAR. To date, Aurora Driver has traversed over 1,200 miles without a driver present. As the company looked to launch driverless trucks as a service called “Aurora Horizon” in 2024, we reported it had secured $820 million in additional funding to help it reach commercial operations.
Today, Aurora confirmed its self-driving truck services are officially underway in the southern United States, marking a milestone as the first company in its segment to do so.
Aurora deploys its self-driving trucks across Texas
Top comment by Philip234
This is very cool. Congratulations to Aurora. Since I travel I-45 regularly, I look forward to seeing these on the road.
OTOH, I cannot for the life of me understand why companies try to pretend that autonomous vehicles can come to the market, "without impacting jobs." Of COURSE they will impact jobs. The entire point is to replace the driver with a computer.
The study they cite when making the claim "without impacting jobs" literally says the opposite. Excerpt: "employment levels in the long-haul trucking sector will necessarily fall due to automation" (aka "impacting jobs"). However, "but will not force lay-offs in the slow and medium speed adoption scenarios." In other words, there will be fewer jobs (duh) but that probably won't require a lot of layoffs. Instead the industry will simply stop hiring and let natural workforce attrition do the rest.
According to a release from the company, its Class 8 commercial truck services are now underway in Texas, where it has begun regular deliveries between Dallas and Houston without a driver present in the vehicle. The routes are supported by Aurora Driver, the company’s SAE Level 4 self-driving system mentioned above, which is currently being utilized for long-haul trucking – a three trillion industry in the US.
Aurora cited several issues facing the trucking industry as the reason to hopefully expand its autonomous technology in the US, including aging truck drivers, high turnover rates, and growing operational costs. Aurora believes its Driver system can offer a safe and reliable trucking solution without impacting jobs. Company co-founder and CEO Chris Urmson spoke about today’s milestone:
We founded Aurora to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. Now, we are the first company to successfully and safely operate a commercial driverless trucking service on public roads. Riding in the back seat for our inaugural trip was an honor of a lifetime – the Aurora Driver performed perfectly and it’s a moment I’ll never forget. Our commitment to building a transformative technology, earning trust, and assembling a strong ecosystem of customers and partners have made this pivotal milestone possible.
Before actual driverless rides, Aurora Driver had completed over 10,000 customer deliveries across three million autonomous miles. Following the closure of its safety case to demonstrate the safety and utility of its technology on public roads, it has commenced self-driving truck operations in Texas with plans to expand in the near future.
By the end of 2025, Aurora intends to expand its services to El Paso, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona. Check out Aurora Driver performing a delivery in a Class 8 self-driving truck in the video below:
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