TuSimple becomes first to successfully operate driver out, fully autonomous semi-truck on open public roads in China

TuSimple Holdings, Inc (“TuSimple”), a global autonomous driving technology company, today announced it has successfully completed China’s first fully autonomous semi-truck runs on open public roads without a human in the vehicle and without human intervention.

The Driver Out run was conducted on the designated public roads approved by the Shanghai government, including Yangshan Deep-water Port Logistics Park and Donghai Bridge.

Over the course of approximately 62 kilometers, TuSimple China's autonomous truck demonstrated its capability to navigate complex road and weather conditions in both urban and highway environments within the port area.This included traffic signals, on-ramps, off-ramps, lane changes, emergency lane vehicles, partial lane closures, fog, and crosswinds.

The Driver Out run was operated by TuSimple China’s Autonomous Driving System without a human on-board, without remote human control of the vehicle, and without traffic intervention. In order to ensure public safety, the TuSimple China team worked closely with government regulators and law enforcement and implemented a safety vehicle to ensure safety during the run.

The Driver Out program in China represents more than two years of intense development, demonstrating TuSimple’s commitment to developing an autonomous driving system that fulfills the SAE Level 4 requirements, with a strong emphasis on redundancy, reliability, and stability to enable safe and fully driverless operations on open roads.

"Being the first to conduct a Driver Out run in China is a significant milestone," said Cheng Lu, President and CEO of TuSimple. "Following on from our successful Driver Out run in the United States in 2021, this accomplishment marks another pivotal breakthrough for TuSimple and further underscores our leadership in the autonomous driving industry."