Autonomous Semi Completes First Fully Driverless Highway Run

An unmanned Class 8 truck successfully drove 80 miles without incident in what’s being billed as “the world's first fully autonomous semi-truck run on open public roads.”

The successful test by San Diego-based autonomous technology firm TuSimple marks a major milestone in the burgeoning autonomous trucking field.

According to a Dec. 29 release detailing the achievement, the truck self-drove from a railyard in Tucson, Ariz., to a distribution center just outside of Phoenix with no one behind the wheel and no remote navigation.

During the 83-minute trip, the truck managed to navigate streets, highways, traffic signals, lane changes and both on- and off-ramps without issue.

TuSimple CEO Cheng Lu hailed the results, saying they validate the company’s focus on “delivering advanced driving technology at commercial scale.”

To avoid any mishaps during the Dec. 22 test, the driverless truck was shadowed by a watch car that could alter the vehicles’ programming in a pinch and law enforcement. A scouting vehicle was also used ahead of time to identify any potential road hazards.

Footage of the entire trip is available on YouTube.