Hey Lubbock — the far flung future just got a little more real. A new brand of big rigs are about to roll down Texas highways, and for the first time ever, there won’t be anyone behind the wheel.
When will We Start Seeing Them on the Road?
That’s right — Aurora Innovation Inc., a Pittsburgh-based tech company, announced that one of its autonomous tractor-trailers will begin hauling freight across Texas completely driverless this month. While these high-tech trucks have been operating in Texas since 2021, they’ve always had a human operator onboard, just in case. But not anymore.
What’s the Plan to Roll Out the Driver-less Trucks?
This month, that safety driver will be stepping out, and the truck will go it alone. It’s a major milestone for autonomous technology—and the Lone Star State is the testing ground.
Jake Martin, head of strategic communications at Aurora, said the company has done extensive work to prepare for this next step:
“The person in the front seat typically has a limited role anyway. But we’ve been putting together just like a ton of work to make sure that we are confident in the safety of our technology.”…