Germany’s Daimler unveiled the first self-driving truck to be licensed for commercial use on Tuesday, citing a deal with Nevada’s governor as the first step towards its goal of transforming the safety and efficiency of freight transport.
Daimler said it had brought the new self-driving technology to the desert, southwestern state after European governments were slower to approve regulations for autonomous trucks. Nevada was also one of the first states to allow autonomous passenger cars.
However, the company said it would require far more states to accept the technology before it could show its potential by handling road freight deliveries “from coast to coast”. The vehicle will be able to operate autonomously only in Nevada — when it crosses state lines the driver will have to take the wheel.