Aurora Innovation has opened the first commercially-ready route for its planned launch of autonomous trucks in late 2024.
The route extends between Dallas and Houston and is supported by commercially ready terminals. About half of truck freight traffic in Texas runs along the I-45 highway between Dallas and Houston, making this route an ideal route for Aurora’s commercial launch.
Similar to their first terminal in South Dallas, the new terminal from Aurora in Houston designed to autonomous trucks to support and maintain on a commercial scale.
Aurora uses terminals to house, maintain, prepare, inspect and deploy self-driving trucks between destinations. The company has developed an innovative terminal plan to implement a layout and list of features that will make its terminals commercially ready to launch autonomous operations.
Aurora’s terminal plan aims to maximize the time autonomous trucks transport cargo. For example, on-site weigh stations support enhanced pre-inspections that ensure Aurora’s trucks meet regulatory standards and can avoid on-road inspection points. This promotes safe operations and results in more efficient journeys with fewer stops.
Aurora’s Houston terminal is located in a fulfillment center near its pilot customers, including FedEx and others. This proximity to customers facilitates the seamless integration of autonomous trucks into their mid-haul transportation operations.
The ability to support and maintain self-driving trucks 24 hours a day, 365 days a year is critical to launching a valuable product that can handle dynamic demand. Today, Aurora’s terminals operate day and night, supporting its trucks moving more than 75 loads per week for pilot customers.
Aurora is also preparing its command center to support 24/7 commercial operations. Aurora’s Command Center includes a Team of remote specialists, who monitor and provide direction to the active fleet of Aurora-operated trucks, as well as dispatchers who assign trucks, trailers and vehicle operators to operations. Aurora’s Command Center already supports commercial pilot transport and is ready to support autonomous driving missions.