Plus, a company focused on autonomous trucking technology, has completed validation tests of its driverless software system, SuperDrive, in a closed-track environment without human intervention. The development marks a step toward the potential commercial deployment of factory-built autonomous trucks.
According to the company, SuperDrive independently operated a truck during the test, performing standard driving tasks and responding to simulated emergency scenarios. There were no safety drivers in the cabin and no remote control used during the demonstration.
David Liu, co-founder and chief executive officer of Plus, said, “Autonomous trucks are among the most transformational applications of Physical AI. When it comes to launching driverless trucks commercially, it is critical for our self-driving software to be able to handle the expected and unexpected complexities of driving and interacting with the physical world.”
The company highlighted the role of its Autonomous Fallback System (AFS), designed to manage unexpected situations such as sensor or software issues. During the test, AFS directed the truck to either stop safely in its lane or pull over, depending on the scenario.
Plus said the test follows years of development, including simulation, closed-course trials, and real-world testing. The company has accumulated more than 5 million miles of road data.
Public road trials are currently underway in Texas and Sweden. Plus has partnered with several truck manufacturers, including TRATON GROUP’s Scania and MAN brands, as well as Hyundai, Iveco, and International. The company is also working with TIER IV in Japan, where autonomous trucks are being considered as one option to address a shortage of drivers.
