Aurora Innovation deployed its first driverless truck on Sunday, April 27, the company has confirmed.
In an announcement released on Thursday, May 1, Aurora said it had successfully launched its commercial self-driving trucking service in Texas. The first run was conducted on Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston. Unlike previous test runs, there was no “safety driver” in the driver’s seat. However, Aurora Chief Executive Officer Chris Urmson was seated in the back for the initial run.
According to Aurora, the company had already logged more than 1,200 driverless miles as of Thursday morning.
“We founded Aurora to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly and broadly,” Urmson said in a news release. “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.”
Citing U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, Aurora did not publicly announce its first driverless run in advance. However, the company said it briefed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and local law enforcement in Texas about the readiness of its driverless operations. Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines were reportedly among Aurora’s first customers.
Aurora said it plans to expand driverless operations to El Paso, Texas and Phoenix by the end of 2025.
How did Aurora comply with regulations?
In December 2024, FMCSA denied Aurora’s request to exempt autonomous trucks from a regulation regarding the placement of warning devices. Current regulations require drivers of commercial motor vehicles stopped on the shoulder of a highway to place warning triangles in a certain manner.
In January, Aurora President Ossa Fisher wrote in a blog post that the exemption denial would not prevent the company from complying with existing regulations when its driverless trucks were deployed. However, Aurora declined requests from Land Line to specify how it would comply.
Aurora also did not respond to Land Line’s questions on Thursday, May 1, as of press time. Although Urmson was on board for the initial run, it is unclear if a person has been in the truck for all subsequent trips.
FMCSA said on Thursday morning that it was working on a response to Land Line’s question about compliance.
Are driverless trucks safe?
In addition to questions over compliance, the public also has voiced concerns about the safety of driverless vehicles. More than 60% of Americans surveyed by AAA indicated that they are afraid of self-driving vehicles. About a quarter are unsure about the new technology. That leaves only 13% of Americans who trust driverless vehicles. George Mason University Professor Missy Cummings also called out concerns about “phantom braking.”
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said that much more needs to be done to prove that 80,000-pound trucks with no driver are safe for public roads.
“Road users are understandably very concerned about Aurora unleashing driverless trucks on public roads,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “While the company has shared a voluntary safety report with test results and computer simulations, OOIDA doesn’t believe that’s enough to prove these trucks are ready for real-world driving. One example is ‘phantom braking,’ when a driverless truck suddenly stops for no reason – which can be extremely dangerous for anyone on the road. Until this technology is held to clear, enforceable safety and cybersecurity standards, it’s too soon to tell the public that 80,000-pound vehicles with nobody behind the wheel are safe. Safety reporting should be mandatory, not optional, before these vehicles are allowed on our roads.” LL
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