Texas highways are now seeing self-driving tractor trailers transporting cargo at night—it’s quite a significant advancement in technology.
Currently, an autonomous 18-wheeler, which still has a driver on board, makes nearly four trips between Dallas and Houston carrying food and dairy products.
The startup Aurora has introduced a Lidar system that uses laser beams to create 3D images and measure distances, making nighttime operations for these trucks possible.
This particular system can detect objects in the dark from a distance of up to three soccer fields, allowing trucks to spot pedestrians and obstacles about 11 seconds faster than human drivers, the company revealed recently.
This technology is also foundational for self-driving vehicles from major brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volvo, as well as Waymo’s Robotaxis, which operate continuously in busy cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Up until now, self-driving trucks only ventured out during nice weather, cautious of the complexities posed by poor driving conditions.
Despite this, RoboTruck operators maintain that their systems are more dependable than human drivers.
“The ability to drive at night is a big milestone,” noted Aurora’s CEO Chris Ulmson.
Yet, some critics express concerns about the risks these trucks face, particularly with traffic, bad weather, and unexpected obstacles.
“In densely populated areas, I’m not sure I would trust them, especially during storms or in winter conditions,” truck driver Troy Turnham said.
Kodiak Robotics has started using unmanned trucks at night in West Texas and eastern New Mexico, operating five trucks on leased roads rather than highways.
Besides that, they also run trucks in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Oklahoma City, but again, those are nighttime operations.
Before being cleared for night travel, these trucks underwent extensive testing, including test runs.
Aurora’s autonomous technology is on the rise, logging over 20,000 miles since it began operating on public roads with three trucks in May.
Currently, they are testing routes between Phoenix and Fort Worth, a journey that typically requires two drivers and takes about 16 hours.
There’s federal legislation governing how long truckers can operate, mandating rest breaks—drivers can only work for up to 11 hours within a 14-hour window, requiring a 10-hour off period.
However, proponents of self-driving trucks believe this dynamic could shift. Richard Stocking, CEO of Iowa’s Hirschback Motorline, mentioned that these trucks could handle long hauls, allowing human drivers to manage shorter, more demanding routes.
This could appeal to younger workers seeking a better work-life balance with more predictable schedules, enabling human drivers to return home multiple times a week or even daily.
