Technology
Charger Logistics signs MOU to buy up to 500 Aurora driverless trucks
The non-binding deal, announced October 26, calls for deliveries in 2027 and 2028. Charger already runs Aurora trucks on the Laredo corridor.
NHTSA Proposes Cyan Marker Lamps to Flag Self-Driving Vehicles, Trucks Included
The lighting proposal would set rules for optional blue-green lamps that show an automated driving system is in control. Comments are due Nov. 25.
FMCSA lets driverless trucks use cab-mounted beacons instead of warning triangles
The five-year exemption, sought by Aurora, is open to any Level 4 autonomous truck operator that notifies FMCSA, though OOIDA calls it a troubling precedent.
First Tesla Semi Rolls Off High-Volume Production Line in Nevada
Nine years after Tesla unveiled its battery-electric Class 8 tractor, the company started building it on a dedicated line designed for up to 50,000 trucks a year.
FMCSA Overhauls ELD Vetting to Keep Noncompliant Devices Off Its Registered List
The December 1, 2025, change replaces simple self-registration with a multistep review, including fraud checks against previously revoked devices.
Aurora Launches Driverless Commercial Trucking Between Dallas and Houston
Aurora said on May 1, 2025, that its trucks had begun regular customer deliveries with no one behind the wheel, for launch customers Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines.
FMCSA Denies Waymo and Aurora Bid to Replace Warning Triangles With Cab-Mounted Beacons
The agency said on December 27, 2024, that the 2023 request for a nationwide, industry-wide exemption for driverless trucks lacked device details, safety data and monitoring controls.
Kodiak and Atlas Complete Driverless Frac Sand Haul in the Permian Basin
Announced July 23, 2024, the 21-mile run on private lease roads came with an order for driverless trucks and plans for commercial operations in 2025.
Digital Freight Broker Convoy Shuts Down Its Core Business
In October 2023, the Seattle startup once valued at $3.8 billion closed its core operations, citing a freight recession and tighter capital markets.
Newsom Vetoes Bill That Would Have Required Human Operators in Autonomous Trucks
In September 2023, California's governor rejected AB 316, saying existing law already gives state regulators authority over heavy-duty autonomous vehicles.
Tesla Delivers First Semi Trucks to PepsiCo, Five Years After Unveiling
In December 2022, Tesla handed over its first production Class 8 electric Semis to PepsiCo at an event in Sparks, Nevada.
FMCSA Asks Whether Every Truck Should Carry an Electronic ID
In September 2022, FMCSA opened an advance rulemaking on requiring interstate commercial vehicles to wirelessly transmit a unique ID number to roadside enforcement.
Amazon Gets Option on Plus Stake Tied to Purchases of Autonomous Truck Systems
In June 2021, a securities filing showed Amazon could take up to 20% of autonomous truck startup Plus if it buys enough of the company's PlusDrive systems.
Autonomous Truck Developer TuSimple Prices IPO at $40 a Share
In April 2021, the self-driving truck technology company listed on Nasdaq in an offering that raised more than $1 billion for the company.