Alphabet's Waymo to test driverless trucks in Atlanta

Ginger Soto

Waymo moves beyond driverless taxis with trucking program

For this pilot program, Waymo is teaching its software, that has become accustomed to driving cars, how to manage the increased challenge of managing a truck.

"Atlanta is one of the biggest logistics hubs in the country, making it a natural home for Google's logistical operations and the ideal environment for our next phase of testing Waymo's self-driving trucks", the Waymo team wrote in a Friday blog post. In the pilot, Waymo will integrate its technology into the operations of shippers and carriers with their network of factories, distribution centres, ports and terminals.

To be clear, this isn't the first time Waymo has tested their semi trucks in public - the company is well aware of the many differences between driving a semi truck and driving a traditional minivan. Although the basic principles of driving remain the same, driving a truck that's loaded down with cargo is trickier due to its size and different ways of handling.

Waymo says it uses the same technology for its trucks, so it's a good guess that the company is aiming to achieve the same level of autonomy for its trucking fleet.

"They benefit from the same advanced self-driving software that has enabled our cars to go fully driverless in Arizona", the Waymo team said.

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Just days after ride-hailing service Uber announced it was testing tractor-trailers that drive themselves, Google's autonomous vehicle operation announced similar testing in Georgia. The company noted that its system leverages data collected from 5 million autonomous miles driven with another 5 billion driven in simulation.

Tesla, of course, recently announced an all-electric semi truck with limited self-driving capabilities.

Autonomous-vehicle technology has been touted as having potential to save fuel, ease congestion, and make transportation safer.

Waymo's self-driving trucks will start rolling out next week.

While Waymo is starting a new pilot program for self-driving truck technology, it's definitely isn't the only company doing so.