Photo: Getty Images
Driverless FedEx trucks are coming to Texas soon. FedEx and self-driving vehicle startup Aurora Innovation Inc. are launching a pilot program for autonomous-truck shipments between Dallas and Houston. The initial fleet will involve a “modest” number of autonomous trucks and use backup drivers for safety at first. The trucks will make the nearly 500-mile round-trip along the I-45 corridor multiple times a week. Aurora said the next step — “at the end of 2023” will be to launch its trucking business and haul loads autonomously between terminals without a safety driver.
When you watch this video and see the size of these trucks, and you realize soon they may have no drivers, you may feel like me: is this really safe?