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First there were self-driving cars... now there are self-driving 18-wheelers?
These self-driving semi-trucks are becoming more popular in Texas, according to APR. Waymo is building a logistics center in Dallas, Embark is operating an autonomous trucking lane between Houston and San Antonio and Aurora is opening three terminals and a 635-mile route in Texas.
"I think that everybody who is in the autonomous trucking business is in Texas. Even if they don't advertise it," said Srikanth Saripalli, director at the Center for Autonomous Vehicles and Sensor Systems at Texas A&M University.
Autonomous driving is booming in Texas due to the fact that the Lone Star State has the largest number of truck drivers. Its sunny climate is also good for the trucks' censors and 85% of Mexico's goods are imported into Texas by road.
For self-driving trucks to work, they use radars, laser scanners, cameras and GPS antennas that communicate with piloting software, according to APR.
Self-driving also cuts costs and reduces risk, according to APR. A three-day trip from Los Angeles to Dallas can be completed in about a day. The per-mile cost also drops from $1.76 to $0.96.