UPS Ventures has made a minority investment in autonomous transport company TuSimple. The companies will test whether the self-driving vehicles can improve UPS's services and efficiency.
The tests will take place on a US freight route between Phoenix and Tuscon, Arizona. The trucks, which carry UPS loads, drive autonomously but have a driver and engineer with them. US legislation around autonomous driving mandates the presence of a driver in vehicles. TuSimple and UPS monitor the distance and time the trucks travel autonomously, safety data and transport time.
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'Lots of work ahead'
"In terms of development and regulation, there is still a lot of work ahead for fully autonomous driverless vehicles, but we are excited about the progress companies like TuSimple are making in braking and other technologies," said Scott Price, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at UPS.
"All these technologies offer safety and other benefits that will be realised long before the full vision around self-driving vehicles becomes a reality. UPS will take the lead in implementing these new technologies in its fleet."
