Revolutionizing the Roads: Autonomous Trucks Take the Wheel!

**PALMER, Texas** — AJ Jenkins, a former FedEx driver, sat in the cab of a 35,000-pound semi-truck traveling south on Interstate 45. 

Despite being in the driver's seat, Jenkins wasn't driving; the massive 18-wheeler was guiding itself. 

As the truck navigated the popular trucking route between Dallas and Houston, it encountered various challenges, from debris on the road to unexpected vehicles.

Aurora Innovation operates the truck, which is part of a new wave of autonomous big rigs on American highways. 

These trucks will soon travel without human oversight, as Aurora and Kodiak Robotics prepare to launch fully autonomous trucks in Texas. 

While this technology promises to revolutionize the supply chain by reducing transportation times and costs, it also raises concerns about safety, job displacement, and regulatory issues.

Despite the slow pace of federal regulation, companies have been allowed to test their autonomous vehicles on public roads, with some states explicitly permitting driverless operations. 

However, concerns remain about the safety and regulatory framework for autonomous trucks.

Aurora, founded in 2017 by former executives from Uber, Google's self-driving project, and Tesla, has been training its driverless trucks in Texas since 2020. By the end of this year, Aurora plans to have about 20 fully autonomous trucks operating between Dallas and Houston, with eventual plans for thousands of trucks nationwide. 

Kodiak Robotics, founded by a former employee of Uber and Alphabet's Waymo, also plans to launch a fleet of trucks in Texas by the end of the year.

Nat Beuse, Aurora's chief safety officer, emphasized the company's commitment to safety, citing strict safety standards and a focus on learning from past mistakes. 

Despite these efforts, concerns remain about the potential impact of autonomous trucks on highway safety and the economy.

While autonomous trucks offer potential benefits such as faster transportation and reduced labor costs, critics argue that the technology poses significant risks, including job displacement and safety concerns. 

As companies like Aurora expand their autonomous trucking operations, the debate over the future of autonomous vehicles on American highways continues.