Last June, Alphabet’s self-driving unit labored with J.B. Hunt, a trucking and logistics firm, to check its Waymo Via know-how in Texas. On Friday, the 2 introduced they’re forming a strategic partnership with the hope of deploying a totally autonomous trucking operation inside the state someday within the subsequent few years. In the instant future, Waymo and J.B. Hunt say they plan to carry a number of pilots involving Waymo Via. That’s the Waymo Driver-powered unit the Alphabet subsidiary developed for Class 8 vehicles. They additionally plan to finish extra market research.

The expanded partnership follows a during which Waymo and J.B Hunt mentioned they moved 862,179 lbs of freight with out their take a look at vehicles dashing or ending up in any accidents. The conclusion they drew on the time was that Waymo Driver was able to ship freight on-time and safely. Waymo is only one of a handful of corporations engaged on autonomous trucking know-how. Just a few months earlier than the corporate accomplished its June pilot with J.B. Hunt, Aurora, the startup that acquired Uber’s , introduced it was working with Volvo to construct absolutely autonomous semi vehicles that may carry cargo throughout North America.