Autonomous Trucks Have Been Secretly Driving Between Phoenix And Tucson For Months

By Lauren Gilger
Published: Wednesday, September 4, 2019 - 1:15pm

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TuSimple self-driving truck autonomous vehicle
TuSimple
A TuSimple self-driving truck.

We’ve heard for years that autonomous vehicles are the wave of the future, from Uber and Waymo vans, to semi-trucks that carry billions of tons of freight each year.

But that future seemed pretty far off, particularly when it came to the very traditional trucking industry — until now.

Last month, the Arizona Mirror reported that tech startup TuSimple has had autonomous trucks driving on the I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson for months, without anyone really noticing.

It’s through a contract with UPS, which Gizmodo reported recently has made a minority investment in TuSimple.

Last summer, The Show spoke with Business Insider transportation reporter Rachel Premack on the pervasiveness of self-driving trucks in the country, and she told us most experts thought this kind of autonomous trucking technology would not be pervasive for maybe 10 or 20 years.

Now, she said, her answer has changed. The Show spoke with her again about this development.

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