Aurora Adds Human Driver to Texas Trucks After PACCAR Request

Aurora Innovation Inc., a developer of driverless trucking technology, has reversed its recent move to fully autonomous commercial trucking in Texas by placing a human driver back in the front seat of its big rigs. This decision was made at the request of PACCAR Inc., the truck manufacturer, due to concerns related to certain prototype parts in the base vehicle platform, despite Aurora's confidence in the safety of its autonomous system backed by extensive testing. Aurora had launched its commercial driverless service with PACCAR-built trucks on May 1, operating between Dallas and Houston, marking its first commercial self-driving service on public roads. The company plans expansion to El Paso and Phoenix later in the year, but the reversal reflects differing views between Aurora and PACCAR on the readiness of fully driverless operations. A short seller report also indicated that PACCAR had not officially approved the commercialization of Aurora's autonomous trucks and believed the technology might require more time to mature. Aurora maintains that the autonomous system remains fully responsible for driving tasks, with the human present solely to intervene if necessary.