Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Aurora Adds 1,000-Mile Driverless Run from Fort Worth to Phoenix
truckinginfo.com ^ | 02/13/2026 | Staff

Posted on 02/14/2026 6:08:04 AM PST by DFG

Aurora Innovation said it has tripled its driverless trucking network to 10 routes as it prepares to expand autonomous freight operations across the southern United States.

The Pittsburgh-based company said its latest software release enables its Aurora Driver autonomous control system to operate on longer lanes, serve direct customer endpoints, and navigate a wider range of adverse weather conditions.

The company touted these as key steps as the company moves toward scaling commercial operations.

With the addition of Phoenix to its network, Aurora now operates driverless freight lanes between Dallas and Houston, Fort Worth and El Paso, El Paso and Phoenix, Fort Worth and Phoenix, and Dallas and Laredo.

“Expanding across the Sun Belt and introducing customer endpoints enables us to provide our customers with the capacity they need to move goods at a scale that wasn't possible before,” said Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO of Aurora. “Being a carrier is a game of margins and if autonomy can work around the clock, it will be key to growing our customers' businesses.”

1,000-Mile Driverless Lane Beyond HOS Limits

Aurora also said it has validated driverless operations on the approximately 1,000-mile lane between Fort Worth, Texas, and Phoenix. This corridor exceeds current federal hours-of-service limitations for a single driver.

Without required rest breaks, the company said the Aurora Driver can significantly reduce transit times while increasing equipment utilization.

Hirschbach is among the early customers using the Fort Worth -- Phoenix lane, supporting freight that moves coast to coast.

Aurora said it has accumulated more than 250,000 driverless miles as of January 2026 with zero Aurora Driver-attributed collisions.

In addition to highway expansion, Aurora is working to extend autonomous operations directly to customer facilities.

Using what it calls “Verifiable AI,” the company said it can automate much of the route-mapping process after a single manual drive, allowing cloud-based algorithms to generate semantic map components with limited human input. The goal is to accelerate deployment to new routes and customer endpoints.

Aurora has begun supervised autonomous deliveries for several customers, including:

Hirschbach Motor Lines between Dallas and Laredo for Driscoll’s Detmar Logistics between Midland and Capital Sand’s mining site in Monahans, Texas A Phoenix-based facility for one of the largest carriers in the U.S. The latest software release also expands the Aurora Driver’s ability to operate in inclement weather, including rain, fog, and heavy winds.

Aurora said weather constraints limited its driverless operations in Texas roughly 40% of the time last year.

The new validation is intended to increase asset uptime and improve utilization across the varied climate conditions found throughout the Sun Belt.

Scaling Toward 200+ Driverless Trucks

Aurora plans to launch its next-generation hardware kit on the International LT Series platform without a ride observer in the second quarter of 2026.

The company expects to have more than 200 driverless trucks operating by the end of the year.

Aurora also said its commercial truck capacity is fully committed through the third quarter of 2026, signaling what it described as accelerating demand for autonomous freight capacity.


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: aurora; detmarlogistics; driscoll; hirschbach

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041 next last

1 posted on 02/14/2026 6:08:04 AM PST by DFG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: DFG

Aurora (AUR) current price $4.50 per share.


2 posted on 02/14/2026 6:11:44 AM PST by CFW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Driverless or their drivers live and work in in Asia ?


3 posted on 02/14/2026 6:14:00 AM PST by butlerweave (Fateh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

How does a driverless car refuel?


4 posted on 02/14/2026 6:19:07 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (Law and Order -- only one of our political parties believes in it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Maybe they could test making deliveries in downtown Minneapolis.


5 posted on 02/14/2026 6:20:05 AM PST by plain talk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG; CFW

Interesting Thanks for posting.


6 posted on 02/14/2026 6:20:12 AM PST by PGalt (Past Peak Civilization?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

We now have-—

1. Driverless Farm Tractors
2. Driverless Cars
3. Driverless Semi-Trucks

So my question is: “Why do we need millions of illegal aliens in the USA to do jobs that do not exist?”


7 posted on 02/14/2026 6:47:36 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy

“””How does a driverless car refuel?”””


Place a robot at the truck stop to refuel the driverless truck.

If all of this AI/ROBOT hype becomes reality, the world will be very different.


8 posted on 02/14/2026 6:50:37 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Presbyterian Reporter

We need someone to kill all the Caucasians.


9 posted on 02/14/2026 6:51:20 AM PST by Chickensoup
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Presbyterian Reporter
So my question is: “Why do we need millions of illegal aliens in the USA to do jobs that do not exist?”

Driverless Semis is a niche product, not a mainstay, so drivers are needed.

The other answer is apples, oranges, peaches...

But, those workers do not need to be illegal. they could be here under some sort of work visa. And, we definitely should not be providing healthcare, medical care, education, andbirthright citizenship to them.

10 posted on 02/14/2026 6:53:18 AM PST by Pearls Before Swine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: DFG
The original Aurora vehicles with no driver occupying them:


11 posted on 02/14/2026 7:01:25 AM PST by Dr. Sivana ("Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye." (John 2:5))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

But... but....

What will the illegals speaking and reading no English do when they can’t drive these trucks?


12 posted on 02/14/2026 7:08:06 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Scary


13 posted on 02/14/2026 7:11:40 AM PST by Pikachu_Dad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Scary


14 posted on 02/14/2026 7:11:59 AM PST by Pikachu_Dad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

If they can successfully drive in Houston and Dallas that’s the test. The drivers in both towns are crazy. Lots of foreigners who everything is a foreign concept and don’t forget the rich Karen’s who think their high end car gives them the right of way….


15 posted on 02/14/2026 7:15:01 AM PST by Lockbox (politicians, they all seemed like game show host to me.... Sting)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

16 posted on 02/14/2026 7:17:47 AM PST by Fresh Wind (I voted for Trump the Fighter, not a wussified wimp!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Have they made into NYC or Chicago areas yet?.


17 posted on 02/14/2026 7:19:30 AM PST by Vaduz (NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Presbyterian Reporter
So my question is: “Why do we need millions of illegal aliens in the USA to do jobs that do not exist?”

***

That is a GREAT question! And the answer? SO THEY’LL VOTE DEMOCRAT!

Kind of a no brainer….

18 posted on 02/14/2026 7:25:22 AM PST by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: butlerweave
"Driverless or their drivers live and work in in Asia ?"

Driverless.

19 posted on 02/14/2026 7:25:37 AM PST by TexasGator (II11:/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy

“How does a driverless car refuel?”

They don’t refuel. They recharge.


20 posted on 02/14/2026 7:28:49 AM PST by TexasGator (II11:/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson