Autonomous trucking may go far in addressing the continual driver scarcity whereas bettering the security profile and effectivity of fleets. The know-how stays within the pilot stage and is subsequently costly. The important thing to scaling and bettering end-user affordability may lie in a service-based enterprise mannequin, and Pittsburgh-based Aurora has emerged as a pioneer with its extremely scalable pay-per-mile driverless trucking promise.

Aurora is one in all a number of firms jockeying for an area within the rising autonomous driving phase and has been focussing on the US market specifically. Its Aurora Driver contains a bundle of {hardware} and software program designed to work with varied car sorts, from small sedans to Class 8 semis, but it surely’s the latter class the place the brand new enterprise mannequin applies.

“The trucking market is a large alternative,” Chief Monetary Officer Dave Maday informed attendees on the Analyst and Investor Day occasion in March 2024. By 2028, the corporate expects Aurora Driver to function on roadways that signify 50 billion car miles travelled (VMT) yearly. Greater than 60% of these VMT are related to longer routes that exceed conventional hours of service (HOS) limitations, that means a human driver can be compelled to take a mandated break.