According to Bloomberg, Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo and J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. has signed a multi-year agreement to use self-driving trucks to transport goods in Texas, its latest move to reshape transportation using self-driving technology.
Source: Bloomberg
The companies said in a statement that large robotic trucks using Waymo technology will begin commercial use "in the next few years," but did not provide specific dates or financial terms. Waymo also agreed to integrate with J.B. Hunt's freight management services.
The move is part of a broader effort to automate the freight and logistics industry, with companies ranging from FedEx Corp. to Uber Technologies Inc. involved. But security advocates have questioned the technology and pushed for more regulation.
The new agreement builds on Waymo's existing partnership with J.B. Hunt. In June, the two companies announced a pilot autonomous freight service between Houston, Texas, and Fort Worth. By December, Waymo said the tests had delivered more than 862,000 pounds of cargo without any speeding incidents or traffic accidents. Waymo also announced a partnership with United Parcel Service Inc.
Credit Suisse analyst Dan Levy said in a note that the announcement suggests Waymo will be a major competitor to automated shipping companies such as TuSimple Holdings Inc. (Proofreading/Aaron)
![Waymo has partnered with U.S. logistics companies to bring autonomous heavy trucks into the transportation of goods[fig]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=)