June 11, 2021

Waymo, an American company developing technology for autonomous driving, recently announced that it is working with a major truck operator, J.B. Hunt, as its Class 8 trucks, equipped with autonomous software and hardware called Waymo Driver, prepare to work in Texas, where cargo is moved between Houston and Fort Worth.

While the trucks will still carry people, including a trained truck driver and Waymo technicians who will monitor them and take over when needed, Craig Harper, J.B. Hunt’s chief sustainability officer, explained as he clarified things: “This will be one of the first opportunities for J.B. Hunt to receive data and feedback on customer freight moved with a Class 8 tractor operating at this level of autonomy. While we believe there will be a need for highly skilled, professional drivers for many years to come, it is important for J.B. Hunt as an industry leader to be involved early in the development of advanced autonomous technologies and driving systems to ensure that their implementation will improve efficiency while enhancing safety.”

For more information, read the original story in Arstechnica.