Pittsburgh-based autonomous trucking continues to expand across Sun Belt states

Aurora's self-driving trucks are forging a wider web in the freight industry - expanding Texas routes out to Oklahoma City and winning clients' approval to go fully autonomous.

"Leveraging our technology to open new routes quickly and efficiently is a core part of our strategy," said Ossa Fisher, president of Aurora in a Monday announcement.

The Strip-District based autonomous trucking company announced a new 200-mile route between Dallas and Oklahoma City, Okla. that it was able to map out "in weeks" with partner Volvo Autonomous Solutions. With headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas, VAS is the driverless arm of Swedish car company Volvo.

Now a year removed from Aurora's "inaugural" driverless route on public roads, Fisher said Aurora and Volvo are firing on all cylinders" to make autonomy a mainstay of the freight industry.

Using Volvo's trucks, Aurora attaches its suite of sensors to navigate the interstate without a driver. The sensors, including a laser that allows the truck to detect objects up to 1,000 meters away - at night and in the rain - is what transforms freight trucks into an "Aurora Driver."

"Expanding our operations into Oklahoma City and adding customer endpoints is an important step for scaling autonomous transport," said Sasko Cuklev, head of On-Road Solutions at VAS., in the announcement. "Running end-to-end requires a higher level of operational precision and integration, and it further demonstrates how autonomous trucks can operate reliably in real logistics environments."

Aurora also secured a partnership with McLane Company, a food distributor based in Temple, Texas, and a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.

After clocking 280,000 driverless miles from a three-year pilot with McLane Company, Aurora is authorized to go fully autonomous between Dallas and Houston, with "plans to expand to new routes between McLane distribution centers across the U.S. Sun Belt by the end of the year," the company said.

"The business of moving food is essential to our economy and our way of life," Aurora's Fisher said on Monday. "With a 134-year legacy, McLane is deeply woven into the American distribution industry. We're excited to enter the next chapter with McLane and transform the American food supply chain with autonomous trucks. Our collective momentum in logistics is palpable."

As Aurora adds new routes and locks in autonomous-approving customers, existing customers are expanding: Iowa-based Hirschbach Motor Lines, an early adopter of Aurora's tech, committed to buying 500 Aurora-Driver-powered trucks beginning in 2027. An official agreement is expected by the end of the year.

"[Hirschbach] is also a key customer on Aurora's 1,000-mile route between Fort Worth and Phoenix, a critical link for the carrier's coast-to-coast business," the statement said. "To date, the Aurora Driver has driven more than 800,000 miles while delivering over 2,000 loads for Hirschbach."

What Aurora leans into most as a company is its safety appeal - representatives frequently tout that a sensor system can't fall asleep at the wheel or drink and drive, and it doesn't need bathroom breaks. For clients operating 11-hour hauls and longer, that kind of reliability is crucial.

"The Aurora Driver will provide consistent 24/7 service to our customers, making it an important growth lever for our business," said Richard Stocking, CEO of Hirschbach. "But autonomy isn't just a business move - it's a quality-of-life investment for our people. The Aurora Driver will handle the lengthier, less desirable routes, providing our drivers with greater flexibility. It's a win-win."

Still, Aurora has a long way to go toward profitability. Deployment in the latter half of 2026 will be a critical proof-point, according to the company's fourth quarter shareholder letter.

With an anticipated expenditure of roughly $800 million in 2026, Aurora CFO David Maday said in the shareholder letter that the team expects revenue of "$14 - $16 million - up 400% year-over-year at the midpoint." The chasm between revenue and expenditure is possible thanks to the company's nearly $1.5 billion war chest.

Ending 2025 with a "very strong balance sheet," CFO Maday said, Aurora expects to exit 2026 with more than 200 driverless trucks in operation.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.