Autonomous Trucking Weekend at the Texas State Fair
A two-day exhibit will showcase cutting-edge autonomous trucks and highlight how home-grown innovation is making Texas roads safer.
DALLAS, TX – Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE) and autonomous trucking companies Aurora, Plus, and Torc are headed to the Texas State Fair in Dallas, TX, Oct. 5-6 for a first-of-its-kind Autonomous Trucking Weekend. The four organizations, along with the Texas Department of Transportation, will host a 2,500-square-foot exhibit where visitors of all ages can see autonomous trucks first-hand, interact with hands-on displays, talk to engineers and industry experts, and more.
“In the near future, Texans will begin sharing their roadways with fully autonomous trucks. We want to ensure that drivers understand the capabilities, safety features, and technology of these vehicles,” said Tara Andringa, Executive Director of PAVE. “We are excited to host Autonomous Trucking Weekend at the fair to let the public see this technology up close.”
“As a proud Dallas local, the Texas State Fair holds a special place in my heart,” said Ossa Fisher, President of Aurora. “I’m thrilled to showcase Aurora’s autonomous trucks and share with local Texans how this transformative technology is being developed to improve the safety and efficiency of our roads.”
With a mission to educate the public on AV technologies and their potential, PAVE has scheduled live educational programming throughout the day including “Ask the Expert” sessions and on-stage discussions with speakers from the autonomous vehicle companies and the Texas Department of Transportation. The exhibit will also provide information on the capabilities of autonomous trucks, how these vehicles are being prepared for deployment on public roads, and the jobs that the AV industry is bringing to Texas communities, as shared by the new US AV Jobs Coalition.
“Trucking can be better, safer, and more efficient by leveraging the latest technology innovations that make Level 4 self-driving possible. That is why Plus has partnered with three of the top five global commercial vehicle makers, with a combined history of over four hundred years making the world’s best trucks, to bring to market the safest driverless trucks. We are proud to be in Texas and at the Texas State Fair alongside the only two other autonomy peers launching safe, scalable, OEM-produced L4 autonomous trucks,” said Shawn Kerrigan, COO and Co-Founder at Plus.
“Having an event dedicated to autonomous trucking at this year’s Texas State Fair speaks volumes to the growth and development the industry has experienced recently,” commented Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO at Torc Robotics. “Education is the cornerstone of autonomous trucking awareness, and we’re looking forward to sharing the technology’s use cases and potential impact with the community.”
Autonomous trucking companies have been in the spotlight over the past year as they progress towards driverless operations in Texas. Aurora is working toward commercial launch between Dallas and Houston. At the company’s recent Partner Summit, law enforcement professionals and first responders shared their experiences working with Aurora and how their organizations are preparing for driverless trucks in Texas. With partner International, Plus is conducting public road testing and validation on the San Antonio and Dallas route to prepare for their driverless launch. Torc Robotics is also conducting operations on Texas roads from DFW to Laredo and has held recent events in Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio for law enforcement and first responders.
Fairgoers can find the Autonomous Trucking Weekend exhibit in Chevy Park Plaza on October 5-6. For more information about the Texas State Fair, including location, hours, and parking, visit https://bigtex.com/.
