Silicon Valley start-up Plus has launched its Level 4 autonomous trucking software, SuperDrive Beta 5.0, in partnership with Traton Group brands Scania, MAN, and International, marking a significant advancement in driverless technology. Following extensive testing across the U.S. and Europe, the software is now operational in trucks on both continents.
The collaboration with Traton, Volkswagen Group’s trucking division, has set the stage for phased commercial deployments. Initial hub-to-hub routes in Texas, including a pilot from San Antonio to Laredo, have been identified to support gradual fleet rollouts. Plus has focused on rigorous safety testing, moving from offline trials to controlled and then public road testing, with coordination among teams in Sweden, Germany, and the U.S.
“Deploying a global product requires seamless integration across people and technology,” said Peter Hafmar, head of autonomous solutions at Traton. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in our Level 4 autonomous trucking program with Plus and excited to move to the next phase of our collaboration, which will include continued technology development in addition to fleet trials in Texas in the coming months.”
Plus’s COO and co-founder, Shawn Kerrigan, emphasized the project’s significance for fleet operations. “[This] milestone exemplifies Plus’s ability to quickly deliver a safe and scalable AI-centric autonomous driving system that can already operate on two continents for the Traton Group,” Kerrigan said, adding that upcoming fleet pilots will allow fleets to experience firsthand the safety and efficiency benefits of autonomous trucks.
The testing phase focused on standardizing performance across global locations, developing metrics to ensure consistent progress, and creating a product roadmap that addresses both European and American hardware differences. Plus and Traton’s coordinated testing ensures the trucks can adapt to diverse conditions, from Sweden’s snowy roads to Texas’s high temperatures.
Plus is also advancing its partnerships with other global vehicle makers, including Italy’s Iveco and Hyundai of South Korea, in a bid to expand its autonomous capabilities across various markets.
