They are now on the highways.
Aurora Innovation, Inc. has become the first company in the United States to operate fully autonomous commercial trucks on public roads. Their new driverless freight service is now running between Dallas and Houston, Texas, after completing a multi-year safety testing program. The company used its flagship self-driving system, the Aurora Driver, which combines AI, advanced computing, and long-range sensors to safely navigate roads. Over four years, it completed around 3 million miles with over 10,000 deliveries, all under the supervision of a safety driver.
The move to driverless operations came after Aurora concluded its comprehensive safety evaluation, known as the “safety case.” A key factor in this achievement was the company’s Verifiable AI approach, which rigorously tested the system’s decision-making and compliance with traffic laws. Aurora claims the system can anticipate dangerous driving behavior, such as red-light runners, and detect pedestrians in low light at long distances.
Aurora CEO Chris Urmson stated that the company was founded to bring the benefits of autonomous driving to the public in a safe and timely way. He described the launch of their commercial service as a major milestone, noting that the inaugural trip was flawlessly executed. Texas Governor Greg Abbott also praised the development, highlighting the state’s leadership in innovation and its appeal to cutting-edge industries. He emphasized that autonomous trucking would improve efficiency, boost safety, and create new economic opportunities.
Aurora’s initial partners include Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines, with expansion plans targeting El Paso, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona, by the end of 2025. The launch comes at a time when the U.S. trucking industry is grappling with a shortage of drivers and high turnover, challenges that autonomous technology could help address. Similar initiatives are already underway—Walmart, for instance, has been using fully driverless trucks in Arkansas since 2021.
This rapid shift toward automation also raises broader concerns about job displacement. Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang warned years ago that millions of jobs—including those in trucking—could be permanently lost to automation. He advocated for policies like universal basic income to soften the impact. As federal agencies continue to lag in preparing for these transitions, analysts suggest that up to half of all work tasks could be automated in the coming decades, making developments like Aurora’s both groundbreaking and deeply consequential.
