TuSimple, the self-driving truck developer, is teaming up with Navistar International, a producer of commercial trucks, to develop commercial grade self-driving semis for mass production by 2024.
The two companies are working to develop level 4 self-driving semi trucks, meaning the vehicle can perform all driving tasks and monitor the driving environment in certain circumstances.
The partnership between TuSimple, which has been testing self-driving truck technology at its Tucson test center since 2017, and Navistar, with 113 years of experience developing commercial vehicles, will allow the fully autonomous trucks to be purchased through traditional sales channels in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
TuSimple and Navistar began joint development of pre-production units in 2018, said Cheng Lu, president of TuSimple.
TuSimple operates a fleet of 40 self-driving trucks in the U.S., shipping freight autonomously for companies such as UPS andMcLane Company between Arizona and Texas. Navistar has taken a minority stake in the company.
