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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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The first commercial self-driving truck service in the United States launched on Thursday in Texas, and regular deliveries are expected to take place in driverless vehicles between Houston and Dallas.
Aurora, an autonomous truck company, is running the program, and Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines are listed as its first customers.
Why It Matters
A number of major companies are testing self-driving vehicles across the United States, and autonomous trucks are expected to become increasingly common, affecting the jobs of three million truckers.
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Waymo already offers robotaxi services in San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Austin and plans to launch in Atlanta later this year, then Miami in 2026. If Aurora can make self-driving trucks safe and financially viable it could revolutionize the trucking industry.
What To Know
In a press release, Aurora said the first of its "regular driverless customer deliveries" took place this week between Dallas and Houston. The company had been operating its trucks on this route with safety drivers for four years, delivering over 10,000 customer loads across three million autonomous miles. Now, the safety drivers have been removed, and Aurora has completed over 1,200 miles without a driver.
Initially, just one self-driving truck will be used on the route, but Aurora has said they plan to add additional vehicles later this year. Each truck is fitted with a combination of sensors and computers that should allow it to see over an area the length of four football fields.
Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines both specialize in making time-sensitive deliveries.
Aurora has said it plans to expand its self-driving trucking operations to El Paso and Phoenix, Arizona, by the end of this year.
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However there are concerns the development of autonomous trucks will lead to job losses among human drivers. In 2023, 3.05 million people worked as truck drivers in the U.S. according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In its press release Aurora said the current trucking industry has an "aging driver population with high turnover rates" demonstrating the need for autonomous vehicles.
Earlier this year the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rejected a bid by Aurora and Waymo to loosen the rules to allow broken down trucks to display cab-mounted beacons rather than warning triangles. The effort was strongly opposed by the Transport Workers Union who argued it would undermine safety.
Speaking to Newsweek an Aurora spokesperson said: "The warning device regulations currently in place for trucks are over 50 years old and have never been updated, requiring truck drivers to put themselves in danger by exiting their vehicles to place warning triangles on the side of the highway. By contrast, emergency and construction vehicles use flashing lights as warning devices to warn other road users when they are pulled over."
There are still safety concerns around some self-driving vehicles. In September 2024, one woman in San Francisco said two men had stopped in front of the Waymo she was in, stopping it from moving, and demanded she give them her number.
What People Are Saying
Aurora CEO Chris Urmson said: "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. 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."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott commented: "These new, autonomous semis on the I-45 corridor will efficiently move products, create jobs, and help make our roadways safer. Texas offers businesses the freedom to succeed, and the Aurora Driver will further spur economic growth and job creation in Texas. Together through innovation, we will build a stronger, more prosperous Texas for generations."
Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron said: "Moving autonomous commercial freight without anyone behind the wheel is a historic step forward in our mission to build a smarter and more efficient supply chain, and one we're proud to lead alongside Aurora."
What Happens Next
Americans should expect to see more self-driving vehicles on their roads in the coming years as a number of companies plan to launch robotaxi services, while Aurora hopes to expand its self-driving trucking operations.
Update 5/6/25, 12:10 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and comment from an Aurora spokesperson.
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