The Uber self-driving trucks program is no longer operating.
News that the Uber self-driving trucks program is shutting down comes directly from the company via an email sent to employees. In the email, the company notes that it is shutting down the self-driving truck division to better focus on its self-driving car efforts.
As a result of this change, the company will be working to shift around members from its Uber self-driving trucks unit. Some of these will take over similar roles at the self-driving car units, while others will be given the option to take other jobs with the company.
“I know we’re all super proud of what the Trucks team has accomplished, and we continue to see the incredible promise of self-driving technology applied to moving freight across the country, Uber Head of Uber Advanced Technologies Eric Meyhofer says in a statement obtained by TechCrunch. “But we believe delivering on self-driving for passenger applications first, and then bringing it to freight applications down the line, is the best path forward.”
The decision to shut down the Uber self-driving trucks unit comes shortly after the company’s return to the road with autonomous vehicles. Uber had halted testing of its self-driving vehicles back in March after a pedestrian was struck and killed by one of its test units. It only just started up self-diving vehicle test again last week. This time the company is being much more limited with its testing.
As of this writing, William White did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
