Driverless trucks surpass 100,000 miles in Texas
Driverless truck deployment doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Aurora Innovations previously expressed its goal of 200,000-250,000 driverless truck miles on public roads annually.
Proposed legislation and amended federal guidelines have supported the deployment of driverless trucks in recent weeks, while Aurora Innovations said on Oct. 13 that it had received approval of a warning device exemption from the U.S. DOT.
However, the safety of driverless trucks remains a concern within the trucking industry.
A recent study from George Mason University and an October OOIDA letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation outlined such concerns.
“Regardless of their potential, it is important to understand the implications of AVs on public roadways,” OOIDA wrote. “While AVs might improve safety under certain conditions, they create new risks with dangerous outcomes. Unfortunately, mostly voluntary federal reporting requirements leave truckers and the general public in the dark about the safety and reliability of autonomous technologies.”
In announcing its 2025 third quarter results, Aurora said it surpassed 100,000 driverless miles on public roads and launched a 600-mile lane from Fort Worth to El Paso, Texas.
Aurora now has five driverless trucks “regularly delivering customer freight” and plans to deploy its next-generation hardware in 2026.
The new hardware offers increased reliability, extended sensing range and all-weather operation, according to Aurora.
“Six months out from launch, we’re achieving more industry-firsts, expanding quickly, and paving the way to deploy hundreds of trucks next year,” said Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO at Aurora. “Expanding to El Paso, notching over 100,000 driverless miles, and integrating our new hardware with multiple truck platforms extends our strong lead.”
Aurora said it is currently or has plans to collaborate with Volvo, Paccar and Hirschbach, among others.
“As an early adopter, we embrace the opportunity to help define the future of freight technology,” Richard Stocking, president and CEO of Hirschbach Motor Lines, said. “Integrating an additional fleet strengthens our driverless capacity – a vital advancement in ensuring we meet customer demand and deliver operational excellence.”
In 2026, Aurora has plans for even greater driverless capacity.
The Pittsburgh-based company is currently testing a new fleet on a closed track, expecting to add more driverless lanes in the South and Southwest regions and intends to haul freight without a partner-requested observer next year. LL
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