Latest news with #HirschbachMotorLines
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Driverless Trucks Are Now Making Freight Runs in Texas, and This Is the Company Doing It
Aurora Innovation launches autonomous truck operations in Texas with its SAE Level 4 tech, similar to robotaxis, hauling freight between Dallas and Houston. The 18-wheeler autonomous trucks now operate without a safety driver in the cab, in an important step for the autonomous trucking developer. Several companies are focusing their autonomous trucking efforts in Texas and the southwest, in an effort to automate truck routes. Earlier this month, Aurora Innovation kicked off driverless truck operations in Texas, starting off with a freight route between Dallas and Houston for commercial customers. The SAE Level 4 trucks, operating without a safety driver in the cab, have been making the 250-mile route that has been the focus of quite a bit of testing by several autonomous truck developers, many of which have been getting driverless truck infrastructure ready. Getting to this point took years of research and plenty of on-road testing, in environments open and closed to regular traffic, with Aurora Innovation achieving a successful round of validation testing. In fact, years of supervised testing by Aurora has already seen 10,000 customer loads delivered by its prototypes, spanning some 3 million miles. Aurora's first two commercial customers are Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines, with both having collaborated with the Level 4 developer in prior supervised tests. Hirschbach focuses on temperature- and time-sensitive freight, and like others in the industry, it prizes reliability and safety at a time when there is a driver shortage and other equipment-related pressures. "Transforming an old school industry like trucking is never easy, but we can't ignore the safety and efficiency benefits this technology can deliver," said Richard Stocking, CEO of Hirschbach Motor Lines. "Autonomous trucks aren't just going to help grow our business—they're also going to give our drivers better lives by handling the lengthier and less desirable routes." The busy Dallas to Houston route between warehouses is merely the first that Aurora plans to automate this year, with plans to expand driverless truck services to Phoenix and El Paso later this year. And Aurora isn't alone in focusing on the vast truck routes in the American southwest that have made this part of the country a critical setting for SAE Level 4 truck innovation. Entire specialized hubs are being planned and built by the various autonomous truck developers nestled in Texas. The SAE Level 4 tech itself is analogous to robotaxis, but only to a point. Driverless trucks need to look much farther down the road than robotaxis in busy cities, and take steps to respond to situations that won't unfold for another few seconds. This includes the ability to see pedestrians in the dark from hundreds of yards away, and being able to predict when another car might run a red light. So the reach of its sensor hardware has to look further out in space and in time, as trucks can't stop on a dime. "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, CEO and co-founder of Aurora. With a successful on-road launch earlier this month, it's becoming clear that we'll look back on 2025 as a pivotal year for driverless trucks with the launch of Aurora's commercial service. One of the next questions that the autonomous truck cottage industry will have to answer, well before the question of profitability, is just how seamless of a freight run process can be achieved along greater distances inside Texas with dozens of trucks operating at once and being monitored remotely. Achieving a greater scale of operation will be among the next big tests for Aurora and others. Will driverless trucks be a common sight in many US states by 2035, or will this remain a relatively niche technology confined to a handful of routes in a couple states? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Forbes
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
The Beginning Of The Self-Driving Freight Revolution
Aurora Technology announced it had successfully launched its commercial self-driving trucking ... More service On Thursday, Aurora Innovation, Inc. (NASDAQ: AUR) announced it had successfully launched its commercial self-driving trucking service on the Dallas/Houston lane. To date, the Aurora has completed over 1,200 miles without a driver. Aurora is the first company to operate a commercial self-driving service with heavy-duty trucks on public roads. Aurora's flagship product is called Aurora Driver. This is an SAE Level 4 self-driving system. SAE Levels of Driving Automation is the industry's taxonomy for driving automation. SAE Level 4 means that a driver is not required. Level 5, the highest level, means that autonomous driving can occur in all weather and driving conditions. In the second half of 2025, the company is focused on expanding its product capabilities to include validated night driving and rainy conditions. Achieving autonomous night driving will significantly improve the ROI of this solution. Traditional trucking is subject to hours of service rules. These rules limit drivers to at most 11 hours of driving at a time. Asset utilization is a core value proposition. Aurora also plans to expand its driverless service to include the El Paso to Phoenix lane by the end of 2025. Unlocking longer lanes across the Sun Belt will be critical for Aurora to increase truck utilization and thus it will be a key driver for the company's near-term top-line growth. Aurora's launch customers are Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines. Uber Freight is a leading provider of managed transportation services, while Hirschbach is a carrier focused on time- and temperature-sensitive freight deliveries. Both companies have had long-standing supervised commercial pilots with Aurora. 'When Uber Freight and Aurora came together more than four years ago, we set out to transform the future of logistics—and today, that future is here,' said Lior Ron, Founder and CEO of Uber Freight. "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.' 'Aurora's transparent, safety-focused approach to delivering autonomous technology has always given me confidence they're doing this the right way,' said Richard Stocking, CEO of Hirschbach Motor Lines. 'Transforming an old school industry like trucking is never easy, but we can't ignore the safety and efficiency benefits this technology can deliver. Autonomous trucks aren't just going to help grow our business – they're also going to give our drivers better lives by handling the lengthier and less desirable routes.' Prior to driverless operations, Aurora closed its safety case. The company assembled evidence showing its product is acceptably safe for public roads. 'Safety cases are an essential tool for any company deploying autonomous vehicle technology as they promote transparency and build trust with regulators and the public,' the company said. The company also released a Driverless Safety Report. This report includes details about the Aurora Driver's operating domain for initial operations, along with Aurora's approach to cybersecurity, remote assistance, and other safety-critical topics. The Aurora Driver is equipped with sensors that can see beyond the length of four football fields. In over four years of supervised pilot hauls, the Aurora Driver has delivered over 10,000 customer loads across three million autonomous miles. Its capabilities include predicting red light runners, avoiding collisions, and detecting pedestrians in the dark hundreds of meters away. Aurora's approach to AI blends learning models with guardrails to help ensure the rules of the road are followed, like yielding for emergency vehicles. Aurora's AI also played a critical role in enabling Aurora to close its driverless safety case. The AI was designed to enable the company to examine and validate the Aurora Driver's decision-making. Aurora's launch trucks have the Aurora Driver hardware kit and redundant systems. Those systems include braking, steering, power, sensing, controls, computing, cooling, and communication. Aurora validated and approved the truck platform for driverless operations on public roads. In September of last year, interviewed the CEO of Torc, a competitor to Aurora. Peter Schmidt told that Torc believes they will launch fully self-driving freight shipments in 2027. But Mr. Schmidt's larger point was that getting a handful of AV trucks on the road was not good enough. The real question was how soon you could release autonomous trucks at scale. The 2027 date Torc is shooting for is a date they believe they can also put trucks on the road at scale. To do this, the trucks don't just have to be safe and reliable; they must be cost-efficient and easy to buy and service at dealerships. Daimler Truck will provide the intellectual capital to do high-volume manufacturing and has a dealer network in place. Aurora also believes working with manufacturing partners is the only way to deploy self-driving trucks at scale. The company contends that they continue to progress with their partners on building a driverless platform that will support high-volume production. Continental Hardware is their strategic manufacturing partner for the Aurora Driver hardware kit. Continental ships these kits to Aurora's OEM partners – Volvo Trucks and PACCAR. Combined, Volvo Trucks and PACCAR garner roughly half the market share among U.S. Class 8 truck OEMs.
Business Wire
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
Aurora Begins Commercial Driverless Trucking in Texas, Ushering in a New Era of Freight
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aurora Innovation, Inc. (NASDAQ: AUR) has successfully launched its commercial self-driving trucking service in Texas. Following the closure of its safety case, Aurora began regular driverless customer deliveries between Dallas and Houston this week. To date, the Aurora Driver has completed over 1,200 miles without a driver. The milestone makes Aurora the first company to operate a commercial self-driving service with heavy-duty trucks on public roads. Aurora plans to expand its driverless service to El Paso, Texas and Phoenix, Arizona by the end of 2025. 'Now, we are the first company to successfully and safely operate a commercial driverless trucking service on public roads,' said Chris Urmson, CEO of Aurora Share '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, CEO and co-founder of Aurora. '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.' 'Our commitment to building a transformative technology, earning trust, and assembling a strong ecosystem of customers and partners have made this pivotal milestone possible,' added Urmson. Transforming how goods are moved in America Aurora's flagship product, the Aurora Driver, is an SAE L4 self-driving system that is first being deployed in long-haul trucking. Trucking is a trillion dollar industry in the U.S. but it faces challenges, including an aging driver population with high turnover rates, skyrocketing operating costs, and underutilized assets. These intensify every year, making the value proposition of autonomy – a solution that will offer safe, reliable capacity without an impact to jobs – highly attractive to the trucking industry. Aurora's launch customers are Uber Freight, a market-leading enterprise technology company powering intelligent logistics, and Hirschbach Motor Lines, a veteran-owned carrier that delivers time- and temperature-sensitive freight. Both companies have had long-standing supervised commercial pilots with Aurora. 'When Uber Freight and Aurora came together more than four years ago, we set out to transform the future of logistics—and today, that future is here,' said Lior Ron, Founder and CEO of Uber Freight. "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.' 'Aurora's transparent, safety-focused approach to delivering autonomous technology has always given me confidence they're doing this the right way,' said Richard Stocking, CEO of Hirschbach Motor Lines. 'Transforming an old school industry like trucking is never easy, but we can't ignore the safety and efficiency benefits this technology can deliver. Autonomous trucks aren't just going to help grow our business – they're also going to give our drivers better lives by handling the lengthier and less desirable routes.' Building Trust in the Aurora Driver Prior to driverless operations, Aurora closed its safety case, which is how the company assembled evidence to show its product is acceptably safe for public roads. Safety cases are an essential tool for any company deploying autonomous vehicle technology as they promote transparency and build trust with regulators and the public. The company also released a Driverless Safety Report which includes details about the Aurora Driver's operating domain for initial operations along with Aurora's approach to cybersecurity, remote assistance, and more safety-critical topics. Aurora prioritizes consistent transparency and collaboration with elected officials, government agencies, and safety organizations. Entities that were briefed on the Aurora Driver's readiness for driverless operations include: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) Local law enforcement in Texas Most U.S. states today allow for driverless vehicles, including Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. As Aurora opens new routes, it will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure there is visibility into the company's progress. Texas Governor Greg Abbott commented on Aurora's commercial launch, saying, 'Texas continues to attract emerging industries because we offer an environment that welcomes entrepreneurs and encourages innovation – key factors in Texas' unmatched economic success. Texas ranks No. 1 for technology and innovation, and that continues as we welcome America's first self-driving trucks.' 'These new, autonomous semis on the I-45 corridor will efficiently move products, create jobs, and help make our roadways safer,' added Governor Greg Abbott. '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.' Safely Deploying the Aurora Driver The Aurora Driver is equipped with a powerful computer and sensors that can see beyond the length of four football fields, enabling it to safely operate on the highway. In over four years of supervised pilot hauls, the Aurora Driver has delivered over 10,000 customer loads across three million autonomous miles. It has also demonstrated extraordinary capabilities, including predicting red light runners, avoiding collisions, and detecting pedestrians in the dark hundreds of meters away. Aurora's V erifiable AI approach to autonomy blends powerful learning models with guardrails to help ensure the rules of the road are followed, like yielding for emergency vehicles. Verifiable AI also played a critical role in enabling Aurora to close its driverless safety case, as it uniquely enables the company to examine and validate the Aurora Driver's decision making. Aurora's launch trucks are equipped with the Aurora Driver hardware kit and numerous redundant systems including braking, steering, power, sensing, controls, computing, cooling, and communication, enabling them to safely operate without a human driver. The truck platform was validated and approved by Aurora for driverless operations on public roads. Aurora believes working with manufacturing partners is the only way to deploy self-driving trucks at scale, and continues to make progress with its partners on purpose-built driverless platforms designed for high-volume production. The company will share more details about its launch and ongoing commercial operations at its upcoming Q1 business review. Please go to Aurora's Investor Relations website to register for the webcast. About Aurora Aurora (Nasdaq: AUR) is delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly to make transportation safer, increasingly accessible, and more reliable and efficient than ever before. The Aurora Driver is a self-driving system designed to operate multiple vehicle types, from freight-hauling trucks to ride-hailing passenger vehicles, and underpins Aurora's driver as a service products for trucking and ride-hailing. Aurora is working with industry leaders across the transportation ecosystem, including Continental, FedEx, Hirschbach, NVIDIA, PACCAR, Ryder, Schneider, Toyota, Uber, Uber Freight, Volvo Trucks, Volvo Autonomous Solutions, and Werner. To learn more, visit Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, the safety benefits of our technology and product, the benefits of integrating AI into our product, our ability to achieve certain milestones around the development, manufacturing, scaling (including, but not limited to, the opening of new lanes, the fleet capacity and our product's capabilities) and commercialization, and realization of the potential benefits of the Aurora Driver and related services, and on the timeframe we expect or at all, the market opportunity and the anticipated impact of our product on the freight industry and economy. These statements are based on management's current assumptions and are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. For factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, please see the risks and uncertainties identified under the heading 'Risk Factors' section of Aurora Innovation, Inc.'s ('Aurora') Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on February 14, 2025, and other documents filed by Aurora from time to time with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC website at All forward-looking statements reflect our beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. Aurora undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.
