Autonomous Truck Completes First Fully Driverless Freight Haul in US

An autonomous truck, operating without a driver, has successfully completed its first commercial freight transport in the United States. This achievement marks the first time a truck has completed a 230-mile (approximately 370 km) journey carrying actual customer cargo, rather than just operating in a controlled test environment.

According to Bot Auto CEO Xiaodi Hou, the truck departed from Riggy's Truck Parking northeast of Houston late at night and traveled north on the I-45 highway, a major US freight corridor, to Hutchins, south of Dallas. The truck navigated various road conditions, including traffic lights, side streets, and main roads.

"There was no safety driver, no backseat supervisor, and no low-latency remote human assistance," Hou stated. The transport was booked, priced, and executed through Ryan Transportation, a freight brokerage firm ranked among the top 20 in the US, following the same procedures as conventional truck transport. Hou added, "We safely delivered actual cargo, to a real customer, on schedule," noting that the run generated revenue.

Hou emphasized, "Our safety design does not require any human to recognize, decide, or react within a minute to keep the truck safe."