First Autonomous Heavy-Duty Trucking Service Debuts on U.S. Public Roads
The launch of the autonomous service coincides with labor organizations advocating for protective measures for truck driver employment.
“So far, the Aurora Driver has successfully traveled over 1,200 miles without a driver,” the statement mentioned. “This achievement makes Aurora the first company to operate a commercial self-driving service with heavy-duty trucks on public roads.”
“Aurora aims to extend its driverless operations to El Paso, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona, by the end of 2025.”
Aurora’s initial clients include logistics firms Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines, both of which have participated in “long-term supervised commercial pilot programs with Aurora.”
The Aurora Driver is reportedly an SAE L4 self-driving system, marking its debut in long-haul trucking.
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At this L4 level, the driverless system can operate the vehicle under specific conditions and will not function unless these conditions are fulfilled, according to the SAE website.
Vehicles at SAE L4 may or may not include pedals and steering wheels. The automated features eliminate the need for an occupant to take control.
“Our goal at Aurora is to deliver the advantages of self-driving technology safely, swiftly, and extensively,” remarked Chris Urmson, CEO and co-founder of Aurora. “Experiencing the inaugural trip from the back seat was an unparalleled honor—the Aurora Driver excelled.”
Nevertheless, the introduction of autonomous trucks raises significant employment concerns for truck drivers.
This bill mandates that all commercial vehicles exceeding 26,000 pounds have a trained human safety operator present.
“It is an affront to professional drivers everywhere for Big Tech companies to believe they can come into any state and replace dedicated union workers with such dangerous and inferior technology,” stated Peter Finn, president of Teamsters Joint Council 7.
“SB 395 is essential for safeguarding the middle class, which is why we are urging Nevada lawmakers to support this legislation.”
Aurora Safety, DOT Eases Regulations
“Over four years of supervised pilot hauls, the Aurora Driver has successfully delivered more than 10,000 customer loads across three million autonomous miles,” the company reported.
“It has also shown remarkable capabilities, such as predicting red light violations, preventing collisions, and identifying pedestrians in low visibility conditions from hundreds of meters away.”
Prior to commencing operations, Aurora had submitted a “safety case” for its vehicles, which serves as documented assurance of their safety.
The company informed several government bodies about Aurora Driver’s readiness for driverless operations, including the National Transportation Safety Board, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Texas Department of Transportation.
Specifically, the agency plans to extend the Automated Vehicle Exemption Program to domestically produced automated vehicles (AVs), a program that has thus far applied only to imported AVs.
The advocacy group Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety criticized this decision, asserting that there have been “troubling incidents” involving automated vehicles in various cities.
Unless adequate safety regulations, safeguards, transparency, and accountability are enforced, they warned that the introduction of AVs could lead to “deadly consequences.”
“It’s important to proceed cautiously and responsibly, but this announcement demonstrates that the administration is moving with urgency to maintain AV leadership over China and other countries. Time is of the essence,” he concluded.
