The long road to driverless semi-trucks is nearing completion

Drivers in Texas will soon encounter a novel sight on highways across the state: semi-trucks without a human being in the cab.

Autonomous trucking startup Aurora Innovation is set to roll out its first completely driverless vehicle on Texas’ I-45 sometime in the next few days, marking a key milestone for a sector aiming to reshape America’s trucking industry.

• Companies have tested self-driving semi-truck fleets in Texas since 2021—though they always had a backup safety operator riding in the cab, able to take control of the vehicle if needed.

The drive to thrive

Aurora’s plan is to launch fully driverless operations on a popular freight route between Dallas and Houston, beginning with just a single truck and slowly expanding to their whole fleet.

• The company's self-driving tractor-trailers—equipped with 25 laser, radar, camera, and lidar sensors—can carry loads for companies like FedEx, Uber Freight, Werner, and others at a cruising speed of 65 MPH.

Critics warn the tech is moving too quickly. Some opponents of Aurora’s transition to fully driverless operations say the company needs to be more transparent with its testing and data, as it hasn’t yet proven the vehicles’ safety without a human operator.

Others note that human drivers could face major psychological challenges over the idea of sharing the road with massive semi-trucks that lack drivers. At least 10 companies are developing driverless technology for trucks, with most expecting to go fully autonomous on public roads later this year or in 2026.

Big picture: Automation is coming at a key time for America’s trucking industry, aka the backbone of the US economy, which moves 70+% of all freight in the country. In recent years, trucking companies have faced a series of driver shortages and high turnover rates that forced delays, raised transportation costs, and increased prices for consumers.