Will self-driving semi-trucks with no driver be widespread in any country in 2024? Must be >100 trucks operating with no driver and hauling customer cargo. If it's one or two fixed routes that doesn't count.
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/ahalekelly/will-more-than-200000-us-truck-driv
1,000
3.00From Perplexity:
Based on the information provided in the search results, there are currently no self-driving semi-truck fleets with over 100 trucks operating without a driver and hauling customer cargo. While several companies are making significant progress in autonomous trucking, most are still in testing phases or operating with safety drivers present. For example:
Waymo: Operating 60 self-driving semi-trucks, but not yet at the scale of 100+ without drivers.
Aurora Innovation: Planning to deploy 20 fully autonomous trucks by the end of 2024, expanding to about 100 in 2025.
TuSimple: Has a fleet of 50 Level 4 autonomous trucks, but still requires a "driver supervisor" for safety.
Embark Trucks: Operates about a dozen self-driving trucks, focusing on a transfer hub model.
Kodiak Robotics: Has a significant fleet, but is preparing for commercial deployment in 2025.
Einride: Operating electric and autonomous trucks, but not specified if they're fully driverless.
Volvo: Currently operating 20 autonomous trucks in Texas, but with safety drivers present.
Other companies mentioned in the search results, such as Tesla, Daimler, Plus, Waabi, Robotic Research, Outrider, and Pronto, are also developing self-driving truck technology but have not yet deployed large-scale fleets without drivers.
Current status:
Aurora: Operating 30 trucks, 50 trips per week on 2 fixed routes in Texas, with safety drivers. Plans to launch commercial operations in 2024, but will need to raise more funding to get there.
Waymo: Signed deal with UPS in 2021, now reportedly delaying the truck project "by a few quarters" to focus on robotaxis, no announced dates
Gatik: 45 box trucks operating with safety drivers, smaller than semi-trucks so they would not qualify for this market. Operating one 7-mile route in Arkansas with no safety driver. Plans to go fully autonomous in 2024 with 25 trucks in the Dallas area.
Torc Robotics (subsidiary of Daimler): Reportedly "on track to deploy autonomous trucks within the next year or two"
Kodiak: 6 trips per week between Atlanta and Dallas with a safety driver
Embark: Going bankrupt