Autonomous vehicle technology company Aurora launched its commercial self-driving trucking service without a safety driver Sunday for the route between Dallas and Houston.
“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,” said Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO of Aurora, in a statement.
The company has a driverless system called Aurora Driver to deploy long-haul trucks, according to the news release. They’re partnering with Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines, which have long-standing supervised commercial pilots with Aurora.
“The Texas Trucking Association congratulates Aurora Innovation, the autonomous trucking company, on the commercial launch of their self-driving Class 8 truck,” the industry trade group said in a statement.
The organization’s president and CEO, John D. Esparza, stated that he rode in the self-driving truck.
“With the launch of their self-driving trucks on public roads, Aurora has shown that autonomy can bring safety, efficiency, and reliability benefits to our supply chain,” he said in a statement.
Aurora plans to expand its driverless service to El Paso, Texas and Phoenix, Arizona by the end of 2025.
