Driverless Trucks Are Coming: Expect More on Roads by 2027
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted a five-year exemption allowing qualifying autonomous trucking companies to use cab-mounted warning beacons instead of placing traditional roadside warning devices after a vehicle becomes disabled. The exemption could support broader deployment of Level 4 driverless trucks on U.S. highways.
Exemption Addresses Roadside Warning Requirements
Existing federal requirements generally assume that a human driver is available to activate hazard lights and place warning devices near a disabled truck. Autonomous trucking companies have argued that those rules do not account for vehicles operating without a driver in the cab.
Under the exemption, eligible Level 4 autonomous trucking companies may use cab-mounted beacons as an alternative, provided they give prior notice to the agency. The exemption is available beyond the company that requested it, according to the details provided by FMCSA.
Aurora Plans Continued Fleet Expansion
Aurora has reported more than 500,000 autonomous miles on the Dallas-Houston corridor since beginning commercial operations in April 2025. The company has said it expects to have roughly 200 driverless trucks in operation by the end of 2026 and more than 200 operating by year-end, with plans to scale further.
Aurora has also outlined a goal of operating 300 trucks transporting freight between hubs by the end of 2027. Its initial Texas routes include Dallas to Houston and Fort Worth to other regional freight hubs.
The company’s manufacturing partnership with Volvo is expected to support the production of up to 1,000 upfitted tractors annually beginning in 2027. Aurora has projected that its autonomous Transportation-as-a-Service operation could reach an approximately $80 million annual revenue run rate as the fleet expands.
More Driverless Trucks Expected on Highways
The exemption removes one operational obstacle for autonomous carriers but does not eliminate other federal, state or local requirements governing commercial motor carriers. Companies will continue to determine where and how autonomous trucks can operate based on available routes, technology, regulatory approvals and freight partnerships.
With Aurora and other autonomous trucking companies planning larger fleets over the next several years, more driverless trucks are expected to appear on established hub-to-hub freight corridors beginning in 2027.
