Autonomous services have been launched as labor groups seek measures to protect truck driver jobs.
“To date, Aurora drivers have completed over 1,200 miles without a driver,” the statement said. “The milestone will make Aurora the first company to operate a commercial autonomous driving service with heavy trucks on public roads.”
“Aurora plans to expand unmanned services to El Paso, Texas and Phoenix, Arizona by the end of 2025.”
Aurora’s launch customers are the motorlines of logistics companies Uber Freight and Hirschbach, both of which have “Aurora and a long-standing commercial pilot.”
The Aurora Driver is a SAE L4 autonomous driving system deployed for long-distance truck transport.
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At the L4 level, the functionality of the driverless system “will drive the vehicle under limited conditions and will not work unless all necessary conditions are met,” according to the SAE website.
Pedals and steering wheels may or may not be installed on SAE L4 vehicles. The automated features of the system do not require you to sit inside the vehicle and take over driving.
Aurora CEO and co-founder Chris Urunson said: “It was a once-in-a-lifetime honor to ride in the back seat for my first trip. The drivers at Aurora performed perfectly.”
Self-driving trucks, on the other hand, present serious employment issues for truck drivers.
The bill requires that all commercial vehicles weighing over 26,000 pounds have a trained human safety operator behind the wheels.
“For a large tech company, it’s a shame for professional drivers everywhere to think they can come to every state and replace the work of hardworking union members with this dangerous and inferior technology.”
“SB 395 is important to protecting the middle class, which is why we are requiring Nevada lawmakers to vote in favor of this law.”
Aurora safety, dots relax the rules
Aurora said the flagship truck is equipped with powerful computers and sensors, allowing it to operate safely on the highway.
“In over four years of monitored pilot hauling, Aurora Drivers have delivered over 10,000 customer loads over 3 million miles,” the company said.
“It also demonstrates extraordinary capabilities, including predicting red light runners, avoiding collisions, and detecting pedestrians in the darkness hundreds of meters away.”
Before starting operation, Aurora had completed the “safety” of the vehicle. Safety is a documented guarantee of a vehicle that maintains safety.
The company said it has explained to several government agencies about preparing Aurora drivers for driverless operations, including the National Transportation Safety Board, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Texas Public Safety Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Specifically, agents will expand their automated vehicle exemption programme to domestically produced vehicles (AVs). The program currently applies only to imported AVS.
The Advocacy Group has supported supporters of Highway and Auto Safety, criticising the decision, saying “troubling incidents” involving automated vehicles have already occurred in multiple cities.
It says that if appropriate safety regulations, safeguards, transparency and accountability are not maintained regarding the issue, AVS deployment can have “fatal consequences.”
“Yes, we must move wisely and safely. But this announcement shows that the administration is moving forward with an urgent feeling, so we will not hand over AV leadership to China or other countries. Time is essential,” he added.
