Aurora expands self-driving trucks route to El Paso

Aurora has announced an exciting expansion of its autonomous trucking service, introducing a 600-mile driverless route connecting Fort Worth to El Paso. This development marks the company's second major route for its self-driving trucks, revealed alongside their third-quarter earnings report. Having successfully completed over 100,000 driverless miles on public roads with five autonomous trucks, Aurora is making significant strides since launching its commercial service in May. The next target for the company is to extend its operations to Phoenix by the end of this year. Initially, Aurora’s commercial service began with a route between Dallas and Houston, collaborating with launch partners Hirschbach Motor Lines and Uber Freight. The company aims to develop “tens of thousands of self-driving trucks” and plans to reach both El Paso and Phoenix by the close of 2025. The new Fort Worth-to-El Paso route is notably advantageous for carriers, especially in light of staffing shortages and the challenges of completing long hauls in a single day. Key customers on this route include Hirschbach Motor Lines and Russell Transport. In addition to the route expansion, Aurora has unveiled next-generation hardware, produced by Fabrinet, intended for integration with Volvo VNL Autonomous trucks. This advanced hardware promises enhanced durability and performance at half the cost of previous models. Notably, the new lidar system can detect objects from a distance of 1,000 meters, doubling the range of the existing technology. Aurora has also enhanced its sensor cleaning capabilities, ensuring reliable operation even in adverse weather conditions. Nils Jaeger, President of Volvo Autonomous Solutions, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “The integration of Aurora’s next-generation hardware with the Volvo VNL Autonomous on the pilot line at our New River Valley facility marks an industry-first partnership and highlights the meaningful progress we are making together.” This innovative hardware is set to precede a line of higher volume equipment, being developed in partnership with Aumovio, formerly known as Continental, which is anticipated to enter production in 2027.