Strip District-headquartered autonomous vehicle company Aurora Innovation Inc. announced that it had successfully deployed a completely driverless semi-truck in Texas, making it the first company to ever operate a self-driving heavy duty truck on public roads.
It’s the cumulation, albeit not conclusion, of a long developmental road for one of the largest robotics employers in Pittsburgh. Founded in 2017 by alumni of Google’s self-driving car project, Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group and Tesla’s autopilot division to initially target personal vehicles, the company switched to trucking, deciding that that market presented more value. Over the past few years the company has tested vehicles with drivers behind the wheel, working to close its safety case framework. While the drivers seat may have been empty, CEO Chris Urmson rode in the back seat when the truck took to the road earlier this week.
“We founded Aurora to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly and broadly,” Urmson said in a prepared statement. “Now, we are the first company to successfully and safely operate a commercial driverless trucking service on public roads. Riding in the back seat of our inaugural trip was an honor of a lifetime. The Aurora Driver performed perfectly and it’s a moment I’ll never forget.”
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