Photo: Neil Abt/Fleet Owner
plusAI_0.jpg

Plus.ai completes cross-country delivery with self-driving truck

Dec. 10, 2019
Fully loaded refrigerated trailer of perishable cargo travels primarily in autonomous mode from California to Pennsylvania in less than three days.

Plus.ai announced it has completed the first coast-to-coast freight run with an autonomous truck on behalf of Land O’Lakes. 

Plus.ai called the shipment the first Level 4 cross-country commercial pilot hauling a fully loaded refrigerated trailer of perishable cargo in the United States. 

The tractor-trailer traveled primarily in autonomous mode from California to Pennsylvania in less than three days. During the 2,800-mile trip, the truck passed through varied terrains and weather conditions across Interstate 15 and Interstate 70.

A safety driver was on board at all times, and an engineer was present to monitor Level 4 autonomous system operations.

The trip “shows the safety, efficiency and maturity of our autonomous trucks, which are already delivering freight for other partners several days a week,” said Shawn Kerrigan, COO and co-founder of Plus.ai. “Continued advances in our autonomous trucks will make it possible for these quick cross-country runs to be the norm in the future. We are excited to demonstrate what our technology can already achieve today while meeting rigorous autonomous driving safely and food transportation compliance standards.”

The truck was equipped with the company’s advanced autonomous driving system, which utilizes multimodal sensor fusion, visual algorithms, and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technologies. 

 “End of the year is a very busy time for us. To be able to address this peak demand with a fuel- and cost-effective freight transport solution will be tremendously valuable to our business,” said Yone Dewberry, Land O’Lakes’ chief supply chain officer.

Land O’Lakes ranks No. 133 on the 2019 Fleet Owner 500 list of the largest private carriers

Last month, Plus.ai announced a deal with the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation to test its autonomous technology at the state’s cold-weather pavement testing facility. The goal is to study how difficult winter conditions affect the movement of Plus.ai’s trucks. 

About the Author

Neil Abt

Neil Abt is a former FleetOwner editor who wrote for the publication from 2017 to 2020. He was editorial director from 2018 to 2020.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Uniting for Bold Solutions to Tackle Transportation’s Biggest Challenges

Over 300 leaders in transportation, logistics, and distribution gathered at Ignite 2024. From new products to innovative solutions, Ignite highlighted the importance of strong...

Seasonal Strategies for Maintaining a Safe & Efficient Fleet Year-Round

Prepare your fleet for every season! From winterizing vehicles to summer heat safety, our eBook covers essential strategies for year-round fleet safety. Download now to reduce...

Streamline Compliance, Ensure Safety and Maximize Driver's Time

Truck weight isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when considering operational efficiency, hours-of-service regulations, and safety ratings, but it can affect all three.

Improve Safety and Reduce Risk with Data from Route Scores

Route Scores help fleets navigate the risk factors they encounter in the lanes they travel, helping to keep costs down.